A fresh case of water contamination has been reported in Mhow, near Indore in Madhya Pradesh, leaving nine people hospitalised and several others unwell after consuming polluted drinking water. The incident has once again raised questions about water safety in the region, coming weeks after a deadly outbreak linked to contaminated supply in another part of the city.
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According to officials, most of those affected, including children, were admitted to hospital after experiencing vomiting and other symptoms consistent with waterborne illness. While nine patients remain hospitalised, others are being treated at home under medical supervision.
Health authorities said blood tests conducted on some patients showed signs of jaundice, prompting doctors to suspect contaminated drinking water as the cause of the illness. Manish Agrawal, sanitary superintendent of the Mhow Cantonment Board, said preliminary assessments pointed to unsafe water supply, though further testing is ongoing.
Officials added that around 22 people have reported falling ill so far. Medical teams have been deployed to monitor patients, and water samples have been collected for analysis.
Indore Collector Shivam Verma visited Mhow following reports of the outbreak. He met patients at the hospital and spoke to residents in affected neighbourhoods to assess the situation on the ground. Authorities have said the matter is being closely monitored and necessary steps are being taken to prevent further spread.
Residents, however, have expressed frustration over what they describe as long-standing problems with water quality. Several locals said they had repeatedly complained about dirty water supply and pipelines running through sewage pits, alleging that their concerns were ignored before the latest incident.
The outbreak in Mhow comes shortly after a severe water contamination crisis in Bhagirathpura, another area in Indore. Official government filings submitted to the Madhya Pradesh High Court list seven confirmed deaths linked to contaminated drinking water in that case, including the death of a five-month-old child. Local residents have claimed that the actual toll may be higher.
Public health experts warn that repeated contamination incidents point to deeper infrastructure and monitoring issues. As authorities work to contain the current situation in Mhow, residents continue to demand urgent and lasting solutions to ensure access to safe drinking water.
