Indore water contamination: Rickshaw driver, sole breadwinner of family, dies

Indore: A 50-year-old e-rickshaw driver has died in Indore, with his family blaming it on the outbreak of diarrhoea caused by contaminated drinking water in the Bhagirathpura area.

While local residents have claimed that the outbreak has claimed 25 lives so far, a status report submitted by the Madhya Pradesh government to the Indore bench of the High Court on January 15 mentioned seven deaths, including that of a five-month-old boy.

As the funeral procession of 50-year-old Hemant Gaikwad left his house in Bhagirathpura on Wednesday morning, the mourners struggled to console his mother, wife, and four daughters.

Hemant's younger brother, Sanjay, told PTI, "My brother died due to contaminated water. We lost him after just 15 days of illness. He breathed his last on Tuesday night while undergoing treatment at a private hospital." He further said his elder brother used to drive an e-rickshaw and was the sole breadwinner for his family.

Sanjay said his brother's family is financially weak and the state government should provide all possible assistance.

"Those responsible for my brother's death must be punished," the grief-stricken sibling demanded.

He claimed that the people of Bhagirathpura have been facing the problem of contaminated water for the past two years, and despite numerous complaints to the municipal corporation, it remained unresolved.

Hemant's daughter, Riya, said, "My father suffered from diarrhoea due to contaminated water, and we admitted him to a private hospital. When his condition worsened, he was taken to another private hospital, where he died." The outbreak of illnesses linked to contaminated drinking water in Bhagirathpura began late last month.

According to officials, contaminated water was found in 51 tube wells in Bhagirathpura, and the tests indicated the presence of E. coli bacteria, which caused widespread infection in the area.

A leakage in the municipal drinking water pipeline in Bhagirathpura also led to the mixing of sewage water from a toilet, they added.

Amid conflicting claims about the death toll, a 'death audit' report recently compiled by a committee from the city's Government Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College indicated that the deaths of 15 persons in Bhagirathpura may be linked to the outbreak.