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The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court questioned the state government over its death audit report related to Indore's Bhagirathpura water contamination incident and appointed a former judge as a one-man commission to probe the issue.
While hearing a set of petitions linked to the Bhagirathpura water contamination issue on Tuesday, a division bench of Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi also directed that the Commission should submit an interim report after four weeks. During the proceedings, the state government submitted a death audit and analytical report stating that out of 23 reported deaths, 16 were due to water contamination, while the remaining cases were termed inconclusive. Following this, the bench expressed concern over the lack of supporting material for the report, noting, "The remarks which are mentioned in the table for the inconclusive death probability related to the epidemic are the same which are mentioned for the conclusive." "The State has filed today the death audit and analytical reports. According to the said report, based on the report of a Committee constituted by order dated January 3, 2026, comprising various doctors serving in the posts of Associate Professors and Assistant Professors. According to the report, of the 23 deaths, 16 are due to water contamination (epidemic). About the other deaths, the report is death probability related to the epidemic is inconclusive... The remarks in the table for the inconclusive death probability related to the epidemic are the same as those for the conclusive. It is further argued that the report is based on information, case sheets, and verbal autopsy provided by the CMHO and RJD Health offices," the court said in its order. "We asked the state what a "verbal autopsy" is, but they could not explain what a "verbal autopsy" and further, they could not show any material before us for the death audit and analytical report. Thus, given the serious issue of contamination of the drinking water supply in the Bhagirathpura area of Indore, which allegedly poses widespread health hazards to residents, including children and elderly persons. According to the petitioners and media reports, the death toll is about 30 till today, but the report depicts only 16 without any basis or record," the court said. The bench further added that, considering the gravity of the allegation and the need for an independent factfinding exercise, the Court is of the opinion that the matter required investigation by an independent, credible authority. "Accordingly, we appoint Justice Sushil Kumar Gupta, Former Judge of Madhya Pradesh High Court, a one-man commission of inquiry into the issues relating to water contamination in Bhagirathpura, Indore, and its impact on other areas of the city," the Court said. The commission will submit an interim report within four weeks, and the next hearing into the matter will be held on March 5, 2026. Additionally, the court has directed authorities to conduct daily water quality testing and to organise medical camps in the affected areas. (ANI)
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