A water contamination crisis in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area has left a family shattered after a 70-year-old man died weeks after losing his wife to diarrhoea allegedly caused by contaminated drinking water.
Alguram Yadav, a resident of Borasi Ki Gali in Bhagirathpura, died on Friday at a private hospital, just eight days after he was admitted with symptoms similar to those that claimed his wife’s life. His death comes barely 40 days after the passing of his wife Urmila (65), who died on December 27 after developing severe diarrhoea.
Family struck twice by illness
Earlier this month, Yadav had spoken publicly about how the illness had swept through his household. His son Sanju, daughter-in-law Roshini, and 11-month-old grandson Shivam were also hospitalised with similar symptoms but eventually recovered.
On January 9, Yadav himself was rushed to hospital after developing diarrhoea. According to his son, he initially showed signs of recovery before slipping in the bathroom, suffering a fracture, and being shifted to the ICU. He later died during treatment.
Authorities dispute cause of death
While the district administration had earlier conclusively linked Urmila’s death to diarrhoea caused by water contamination and paid the family ₹2 lakh in compensation, officials said Yadav’s death has not yet been attributed to the outbreak.
Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Madhav Hasani stated that Yadav had multiple pre-existing conditions, including paralysis, and had also sustained a femur fracture. He was undergoing prolonged treatment at Aurobindo Hospital, officials said.
Colony reels under outbreak impact
Bhagirathpura, home to over 15,000 residents, has been severely affected by the contamination crisis. The state government has so far attributed 16 deaths to the outbreak and informed the Madhya Pradesh High Court that six additional deaths are under evaluation. Compensation has reportedly been paid in 21 cases, though not all deaths were medically confirmed to be linked to contaminated water.