A private criminal complaint has brought the Bhagiratpura water contamination tragedy into the courtroom, seeking criminal prosecution of senior civic officials over what is being described as one of India’s most severe municipal water disasters in recent years. The complaint was filed before Shashank Singh, Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Indore, who has directed Banganga police station to submit a status report and fixed 12 March as the next date of hearing.
Registered as criminal case number 96/2026 on 8 January, the complaint names then municipal commissioner Dileep Kumar Yadav (IAS 2014), former municipal commissioner Shivam Verma (IAS 2013), assistant commissioner Rohit Sisoniya (IAS 2017), executive engineer Sanjeev Shrivastava, and other officials of the Indore Municipal Corporation as accused. Filed by Bhagiratpura resident Ramu, it alleges that failure to properly maintain and monitor the municipal water supply system allowed sewage to contaminate drinking water, leading to serious illness and at least 23 deaths.
Court Seeks Police Report as Administrative Fallout Continues
The CJM court has sought a detailed status report from the police before deciding whether sufficient grounds exist to order registration of an FIR or initiate criminal proceedings under relevant provisions of law. The matter marks a significant escalation, as the complaint seeks to establish criminal liability of serving and former senior civic officials.
The outbreak began in December 2025 when sewage reportedly entered the drinking water pipeline, contaminating supply to thousands in Bhagiratpura. Residents had earlier complained of foul-smelling and discoloured water. Laboratory tests later confirmed bacterial contamination consistent with sewage infiltration. The contamination triggered widespread gastrointestinal infections, hospitalisations, and multiple deaths, particularly among elderly and vulnerable residents.
In the administrative reshuffle that followed, Shivam Verma is currently serving as Collector of Indore district. Dileep Kumar Yadav and Rohit Sisoniya have been transferred to the state secretariat in Bhopal, while executive engineer Sanjeev Shrivastava has been suspended pending departmental inquiry.
