The contaminated water nightmare in Indore’s Bhaagirthpura neighborhood refuses to end, claiming two more victims and elevating the death count to 35. Elderly resident Shaligram Thakur, 75, breathed his last Monday evening, followed by toddler Riya Prajapati, just two years old, early Tuesday.
Mona Thakur, grieving daughter of Shaligram, detailed his final days. Admitted to Shelby Hospital on January 2 for acute gastroenteritis symptoms, he was shifted to Bombay Hospital. Discharged recently, his health deteriorated rapidly. ‘Dad had a stroke 18 years back but was otherwise stable,’ she said. Contrasting this, hospital GM Rahul Parashar highlighted underlying heart conditions.
Riya was admitted to Chacha Nehru Hospital two weeks prior with vomiting and loose stools, a common thread among victims in this outbreak.
Fueling political fire, Congress chief Jitu Patwari lashed out on social media: ‘Indore mourns 35 souls lost to poisoned water supplies. Today, we lost baby Riya and veteran Shaligram Thakur.’
No word yet from authorities on these deaths, amid mounting pressure. The Madhya Pradesh High Court, recognizing the severity, has constituted a judicial inquiry commission. It will scrutinize the contamination source, response measures, and health repercussions, calling for public inputs.
As Bhaagirthpura reels, this incident spotlights systemic failures in urban water management. Experts call for immediate pipeline audits, chlorination boosts, and compensation for victims’ kin. The coming weeks will test the resolve of local governance in restoring trust and safety.