Indore water contamination deaths: Judicial probe blames IMC delays

A one-member judicial commission probing contaminated water deaths in Indore has concluded that delayed infrastructure work by the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) led to at least 24 fatalities in the Bhagirathpura neighborhood between December 2025 and February 2026. The commission, led by retired Madhya Pradesh High Court judge Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, submitted a 150-page report to the Indore bench of the high court last week. The report attributes the tragedy to the postponement of a tender process for laying a new Narmada-water pipeline, which allowed sewage to mix with drinking water supplied through IMC lines. The contamination introduced pathogens including E. coli, Salmonella, and Vibrio cholerae, resulting in gastrointestinal infections, severe diarrhea, and dehydration among residents.

The commission’s findings have not been made public due to a high court order restricting access to the document, which is currently available only to advocates at the registrar’s office. Local residents claim the actual death toll is higher—36, according to their count—but the court has not officially confirmed this figure. During last week’s hearing, the high court directed that the report remain confidential, limiting its circulation to legal representatives involved in the case.

Advocate Manish Yadav, one of the petitioners, stated that the commission held IMC engineers and an additional commissioner responsible for the delayed tender process, which was originally scheduled for July 2025. This delay prevented the replacement of damaged sewage and drinking-water lines, leading to cross-contamination in the municipal supply. Yadav declined to name the officers implicated, citing ongoing legal proceedings. A second advocate, who requested anonymity, said the report exonerated former IMC commissioner Dileep Yadav and then-Indore collector Shivam Verma, who served as IMC commissioner during the tender delay. Both officials were removed from their positions following the outbreak.

The commission has recommended increasing compensation for families of the deceased from ₹2 lakh to ₹4 lakh, with the possibility of higher awards up to ₹20 lakh in cases of severe loss. However, the report did not specify the criteria for eligibility or the conditions under which maximum compensation would be granted.

The high court has been overseeing the inquiry since the outbreak began on December 24, 2025. On January 27, it appointed Justice Gupta to investigate nine key aspects, including the source and cause of contamination, the actual death toll, the adequacy of the medical response, preventive measures, long-term infrastructure reforms, and accountability for officials deemed prima facie responsible. The court continues to hear the matter as public concern over water safety in Indore grows.

IMC, the state urban development department, Dileep Yadav, and Shivam Verma had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.

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