Indore reported its 33rd death, allegedly due to the consumption of contaminated Narmada river water supplied by the Indore Municipal Corporation through household taps in the city’s Bhagirathpura locality, after an elderly man admitted to a hospital succumbed late on Thursday night.
The latest fatality was identified as Algu Choudhary (70), who was admitted to Aurobindo Hospital on January 9 after suffering from severe vomiting and diarrhoea. He later developed respiratory complications and passed away during treatment.
His family members claimed that he had no prior ailments.
Locals claim that at least 33 people have died so far due to contaminated water.
However, the official death toll remains at 16, leading to a continuing dispute over the actual number of deaths due to contaminated water.
The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court heard the matter on 27 January, during which the state government submitted its report saying that 23 deaths had been reported till then, but only 16 were related to contaminated drinking water.