Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The Congress party claimed that a 75-year-old ward president of the party in Bhagirathpura died due to diarrhoea caused by contaminated water in the area, taking the suspected toll from water contamination to 28.
However, health officials rejected the claim, asserting that the deceased suffered from chronic heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, and his death was unrelated to the outbreak.
The situation in the locality remains dire as over 10 people are currently hospitalised, with two patients on ventilator support and four others admitted to ICU wards.
The latest victim has been identified as Rajaram Borasi (75), a retired teacher and Congress ward president.
According to Borasi’s family, during the crisis, he had been actively helping sick neighbors reach hospitals. He developed vomiting and diarrhoea on Friday and was admitted to the Super Speciality Hospital on Saturday, where he passed away during treatment on Sunday morning.
Residents say the situation is so severe that as soon as one family begins to process the loss of a loved one, news of another death emerges next door. Locals claim there is hardly a street in the area that hasn't seen a funeral procession in recent weeks.
Conflicting medical claims
While the family maintains that he was diagnosed with symptoms of a water-borne illness, the Health Department said his medical history was the cause. Officials stated that according to medical records from 2018-19, Borasi had a history of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. They further claimed that available documents do not confirm recent complaints of vomiting or diarrhoea.
"According to a 2018-19 angiography report, Mr Borasi was suffering from heart disease. He also had chronic conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes," said Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani in an official statement.
The administration has provided compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of 21 individuals who have lost their lives since the outbreak began. Officials said that while some of these individuals died from other illnesses, financial assistance is being provided on humanitarian grounds.
Congress targets government over death
Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari targeted the state government following Borasi's death. Patwari accused the administration of negligence and corruption regarding the drinking water supply, claiming that 28 people have now died in this health crisis.
"It is with great sadness that I inform you that my colleague and ward president, Rajaram Borasi, passed away due to contaminated drinking water in Indore," Patwari wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
