"Poison distributed, not water", says Rahul Gandhi on Indore water contamination outbreak

A major health crisis has erupted in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, India's cleanest city, following a deadly water contamination outbreak in the Bhagirathpura area. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led state government, accusing the administration of supplying "poison" instead of water. At least ten people, including a five-month-old infant named Abhyan, have reportedly died after suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhoea, though the official death toll remains under scrutiny.

Preliminary investigations revealed a shocking case of negligence: sewage from a recently constructed toilet at a local police check-post leaked into the main drinking water pipeline running directly beneath it. Residents had reportedly complained about foul-smelling, bitter water for days, but no immediate action was taken by the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC). Over 1,400 people have fallen ill, with more than 200 currently hospitalised across 27 hospitals in the city.

Rahul Gandhi questioned how such a lapse could occur in a city that repeatedly wins national cleanliness awards, calling it a complete collapse of governance. He demanded strict accountability and questioned the "silence" of the central leadership over the deaths of the poor. In response, the Madhya Pradesh government has suspended two municipal officials and terminated the services of a sub-engineer. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has also announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹2 lakh for the bereaved families.