The issue reportedly surfaced on December 22, when residents began falling ill with severe diarrhoea and vomiting. Locals said the condition of many patients deteriorated rapidly, forcing mass hospitalisation across the neighbourhood. Several elderly residents later died, with families alleging the cause was contaminated water supplied to the area.
On Saturday, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, visited Bhagirathpura and met affected families. He later shared an eight-minute video of his interactions on social media, documenting allegations of administrative apathy, delayed action and inadequate compensation.
Residents alleged that sewage water had mixed with the drinking water supply, triggering the outbreak. Jeevan Lal Barede’s family told Gandhi that nearly half the locality was hospitalised within days. “The diarrhoea was uncontrollable. We had to change dozens of diapers in minutes,” a family member said, describing the severity of the illness.
Families further claimed that despite repeated complaints over the past six months, no effective action was taken to monitor water quality. They accused officials of collecting charges for Narmada water connections without ensuring safe supply. Some residents also alleged that accountability weakened after the transfer of the municipal commissioner during the crisis.
Meerabai’s son said his mother was kept on a ventilator for three days before she died. “The government admitted only after four days that the death was due to contaminated water,” he alleged, holding civic authorities responsible for negligence.
One of the most serious allegations relates to the handling of deaths. Residents claimed that several bodies were sent to native villages during the night and that crematorium records went missing after December 28. “The entire area turned into a crematorium,” a resident said, alleging that the actual death toll was far higher than officially acknowledged.
Families also questioned compensation figures. While official documents reportedly mention assistance of ₹5–10 lakh per death, several families said they received only ₹2 lakh, with no explanation for the discrepancy. Some alleged that no senior official visited them after the deaths.
Rahul Gandhi assured residents that the matter would be raised at the national level to ensure accountability and prevent similar incidents elsewhere. “No other community should suffer like this,” he told families.
The district administration and municipal corporation have yet to issue a detailed public response to the allegations. Residents continue to rely on purchased RO water, alleging that free tanker supply remains irregular.
