‘Negligence in toilet construction’: How police outpost loo leak caused Indore water tragedy

INDORE: Residents of Bhagirathpura, where 10 people died from contaminated drinking water, have blamed a police outpost toilet built without a proper septic tank. The waste line reportedly drained into a pit directly above the water pipeline, allowing sewage to seep into the drinking water. Locals are demanding that a case of culpable homicide be filed against those responsible for the negligence.

Hours after reports of deaths and people being hospitalised caught the limelight on Dec 29, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) officials found the toilet connected to the Bhagirathpura police outpost was constructed without a proper septic tank.




‘Negligence in constructing police toilet’: Case should be filed, say Indore residents

Instead, the waste line reportedly opened into a pit located directly above the drinking water pipeline, allowing contaminated water to enter the supply network and affect a large number of residents.

“So many of us lost their lives because there was negligence while constructing a police toilet? This is shocking. A case should be registered and someone should be held accountable,” said Ashok Pathi, a local resident. Residents now demanded that a case of culpable homicide be registered against the contractor responsible, though officials said locating the original builder might be difficult.

“A lot of families here are living in fear now because what we trusted as safe drinking water turned fatal. Someone’s negligence cost lives, and the people responsible must be punished,” said Ramesh Verma, a Bhagirathpura resident.

Also read: BJP and Congress clash over Indore tragedy, oppn netas detained

Former IMC commissioner Dileep Yadav earlier stated that seepage was first detected behind the police outpost, which was identified as a major contamination point. Additional leak points were later traced, and the toilet behind the outpost was demolished soon after. Authorities are now examining how the work was allowed without safeguards and whether oversight lapses occurred. Laboratory findings are awaited, while residents continue to demand accountability and long-term measures to secure the drinking water system. “We are still worried every time we turn on the tap. Authorities should ensure this never happens again, and those at fault shouldn’t be allowed to walk away easily,” said Meena Jain, another local resident.

Banganga police said the outpost itself was built in 2003 with local contributions after crime incidents increased in the area, and the structure came up on public garden land.

Indore police collected soil samples from the suspected contamination site in Bhagirathpura as part of the investigation into the contaminated crisis that claimed 10 lives.

DCP Rajesh Vyas said, “A record of deaths was created and police are also conducting an investigation. Samples of soil from behind Bhagirathpura outpost and water from the house of the deceased were collected for examination. Currently, it is just suspected that seepage from the outpost bathroom was the main cause of contamination which caused deaths. Once it is established, strict actions will be taken against those responsible.” Forensic experts confirmed that the collected samples were sent to MGM Medical College for further testing.