A decade-long wait for a child ended in tragedy in Indore, where a six-month-old baby died after allegedly drinking contaminated water. The infant became the latest victim in a series of deaths reported from the Bhagirathpura area of the city. According to the latest reports, the death toll in the incident has risen to eight.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has ordered a probe into the incident. Acting on preliminary findings, one zonal officer and one assistant engineer have been dismissed on charges of negligence.
Infant dies after drinking contaminated water
The baby died on Thursday morning while undergoing treatment. The child's mother, Sadhana Sahu, said the infant fell ill after being fed milk mixed with drinking water supplied to their home. The child began vomiting and suffered from diarrhoea soon after.
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Initially, the baby was taken to a government hospital and was later shifted to a private hospital, where doctors declared the child dead. The mother, overwhelmed with grief, said, "My baby is gone… who knows how many more lives will be lost."
Hundreds hospitalised, authorities face allegations
At present, 149 patients are undergoing treatment across 27 hospitals in and around the Bhagirathpura area. The affected include children, adults, and elderly residents. The municipal health department has launched emergency cleaning and sanitisation drives in the locality, while water tankers have been deployed to supply safe drinking water.
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Several patients are receiving treatment at private hospitals. Although the state government has assured that it will bear all medical expenses, allegations have emerged that some affected families have yet to receive government assistance.
Bhagirathpura falls under the Indore-1 Assembly constituency, represented by BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya. Earlier in the day, Vijayvargiya appeared visibly upset while responding to questions from the media. Later, he said, "Our officers and I are working day and night. Many people have died," while also acknowledging lapses in the handling of the situation.
