The outbreak came to light over the past few days when residents began reporting acute vomiting and diarrhoea after using water supplied through pipelines, borewells and tankers. Doctors said that in several cases, rapid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance led to kidney failure and multi-organ complications, forcing hospitals to place some patients on ventilator support.

One of the most critical patients, 75-year-old Shaligram Thakur, developed complications affecting his kidneys, heart and nervous system within hours of falling ill. After being turned away by multiple private hospitals, he was admitted to Bombay Hospital, where he remains on ventilator support. Similar rapid deterioration was observed in elderly patients Parvati Bai, 66, and Hiralal Parmar, 75, who were initially treated at home before being rushed to hospitals and admitted to the ICU after kidney infections were detected.

Medical experts say deaths linked to diarrhoeal outbreaks are often caused not by infection alone but by severe dehydration and loss of essential salts, which can trigger organ failure. Former MGM Medical College dean Dr. Sanjay Dixit said delays in post-mortem examinations and the absence of confirmed laboratory findings, including Vibrio cholera, have complicated efforts to establish the exact cause of deaths. He said “verbal autopsy” remains a critical scientific tool in cases where post-mortems are not conducted.

Of the 16 deaths reported so far in connection with the outbreak, only three post-mortems have been carried out. A formal medical death audit has now been initiated with the involvement of MGM Medical College.

Following a high-level review meeting on Sunday, Urban Administration Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya instructed officials to treat the situation as a citywide emergency. Stressing urgency, he directed that no administrative file should be delayed and said the entire machinery must focus on Bhagirathpura until the crisis is brought under control.

The municipal corporation has divided the affected area into 32 surveillance beats, deployed eight additional commissioners, and deputed engineers from the Public Health Engineering Department to identify leakages and contamination points in the water supply network. Collector Shivam Verma confirmed that a detailed death audit report is under preparation.

Meanwhile, the Congress has announced a ‘Nyay Yatra’ on January 11, accusing the administration of negligence and demanding criminal action against officials deemed responsible.

With confidence in municipal water severely shaken, residents have begun purifying water independently. Authorities say restoring safe supply and ensuring accountability will be critical to preventing further escalation of the crisis.