Indore News: Family Place Body On Road To Protest In Bhagirathpura

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The grieving family of deceased Badri Prasad, along with locals of Bhagirathpura, blocked a busy road for 90 minutes by placing his body to protest the administration’s stand that Badri’s death was not due to contaminated water, but due to multiple chronic ailments.

Expressing outrage, protestors alleged that even 24 hours after Badri’s death, no one from the administration had come to visit the family.

The family said they were extremely poor and lacked necessary funds to perform his final rites.

The family said this is the second death in the family due to water contamination; Badri Prasad’s daughter-in-law, Kanchan, also passed away earlier under similar circumstances, leaving the family financially shattered. They said that they had to collect donations from locals for her funeral.

Protesters raised slogans against local BJP corporator Kamal Waghela, accusing him of negligence. The victim’s son, Shailendra, said that his father was healthy before the water crisis began in Bhagirathpura, and his death was due to contaminated water.

The blockade ended only after SDM Nidhi Verma and senior police officials arrived at the scene to provide formal assurances of a full investigation.

Congress leaders joined grieving family

Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the IMC, Chintu Chokse, and corporator Raju Bhadoriya, joined the sit-in protest to support the victim’s family. They demanded justice for all those who have died, saying that residents are still living in fear and are forced to purchase expensive RO water for daily consumption.

10 patients still hospitalized

Ten patients from Bhagirathpura area remain hospitalised, with one currently on ventilator support. If the two deaths reported on Friday are confirmed to be linked to water contamination, the death toll in the area would rise to 27.

District administration refutes claims

The district administration had denied that Badri Prasad’s death was caused by contaminated water. Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani stated that medical records indicate the patient was hospitalised for respiratory distress and suffered from multiple chronic conditions, including tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension, and a history of angioplasty.

While the patient had previously recovered at MY Hospital, officials claim his pre-existing ailments led to his death. "Based on current medical facts, there is no direct link to waterborne diseases," Dr Hasani stated.

Published on: Sunday, January 25, 2026, 04:28 AM IST