Sunil Sahu says he will forever regret the moment his family fed his five-month-old son a small quantity of cow’s milk mixed with tap water. His baby, Avyan, was primarily breastfed, but the family—residents of Indore in Madhya Pradesh—decided to supplement his diet with diluted milk, a common practice in many Indian households.

Caregivers often believe cow’s milk is too heavy for infants and may cause digestive problems, which is why it is usually mixed with water. Aware that tap water in the area was unsafe, the family said they boiled the milk-and-water mixture and allowed it to cool before giving it to the child.

On 26 December, Avyan developed severe diarrhoea. Despite receiving treatment from a local doctor, his condition worsened rapidly, and he passed away within three days. Mr Sahu believes contaminated tap water was responsible for his son’s death.

Avyan is among several residents suspected to have lost their lives after consuming polluted drinking water in Indore’s Bhagirathpura locality. Authorities are still investigating the incident, but officials have stated that a damaged pipeline allowed sewage to mix with the city’s water supply, triggering a widespread outbreak of diarrhoea.

The confirmed death count remains uncertain. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that post-mortem examinations have so far linked four deaths to contaminated drinking water. However, the actual number may be higher. State minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has mentioned hearing reports of eight fatalities, while local journalists told BBC Hindi that the toll could be close to 14. More than 200 people have been hospitalised across the city.

According to government data, nearly 40,000 residents of Bhagirathpura—an area largely inhabited by poor and lower-middle-income families—were screened by health officials over the past week. Of these, around 2,450 cases of vomiting and diarrhoea were detected.

The incident has caused outrage in Indore, a city often celebrated as India’s cleanest, and has put the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under intense scrutiny. District Magistrate Shivam Verma said the pipeline leak responsible for the contamination has been repaired and inspections are underway to identify any other faults. One municipal official has been removed from service, while two others have been suspended.

“This should never have happened,” Chief Minister Yadav told the media. “A committee has been formed to investigate the matter thoroughly, and we will ensure that such negligence is not repeated.”

Until further notice, the municipal corporation is supplying water to Bhagirathpura residents through tankers. Locals have been advised not to use tap water.

As inspection teams continue their work, families in the neighbourhood are struggling to cope with loss. Sanjay Yadav, a tailor, said his 69-year-old mother began vomiting on the evening of 26 December. “We rushed her to the hospital, but she died within a day,” he said. His 11-month-old son is also unwell.

Another resident, Sudha Pal, lost her 76-year-old father, Nandalal Pal, after he suffered from acute diarrhoea. She says the water supply in her home is still contaminated and emits a foul smell.

“The water smelled bad, but we never imagined it could be fatal,” said Arun Prajapat, who claims his mother Seema died after consuming the polluted water.

Media reports suggest that residents had complained about foul-smelling and dirty tap water for over two months before the outbreak occurred. Responding to these allegations, BJP councillor Kamal Waghela told ANI that Indore’s sewage and water infrastructure requires extensive repairs and that work has been ongoing in many areas.

However, Congress leader Jitu Patwari accused the BJP government of poor governance and concealing the true scale of the tragedy. “Indore has repeatedly voted for the BJP, but in return, people were given poisoned water,” he told ANI.