A tragic outbreak of water contamination in Indore’s Bhagirathpura area, which has already claimed several lives and left hundreds hospitalised, escalated into a political flashpoint on Saturday after Congress and BJP workers clashed during a visit by an opposition fact-finding committee. The confrontation led to the detention of around 45 Congress functionaries, including women, drawing sharp reactions from both major political parties in Madhya Pradesh.

The incident unfolded when a Congress fact-finding committee, constituted to assess the situation on the ground, arrived in Bhagirathpura with the intention of meeting families affected by the outbreak. The committee was led by former state minister Sajjan Singh Verma and included sitting legislators Mahesh Parmar and Pratap Grewal. The visit, meant to highlight alleged administrative lapses in the wake of the tragedy, quickly became contentious as BJP workers gathered at the spot to protest.

According to eyewitnesses, BJP workers assembled carrying black flags and raising slogans against the Congress delegation. The protesters accused the opposition party of politicising a humanitarian tragedy for electoral gain. Congress workers accompanying the committee responded with counter-slogans criticising the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for what they termed as governance failures and neglect of public health infrastructure.

The verbal exchange soon spiralled into a physical confrontation. Witnesses said workers from both sides engaged in scuffles, pushing and jostling each other amid heightened tensions. Slippers were reportedly thrown during the clash, adding to the chaos in the densely populated neighbourhood. The situation quickly deteriorated, prompting police intervention to prevent further violence and restore order.

Security personnel deployed in the area formed a cordon and escorted the Congress fact-finding committee members and their supporters out of Bhagirathpura. The detained Congress workers were taken to the central jail in Indore as a preventive measure. Senior police officials later clarified that the detentions were aimed solely at maintaining law and order, given the volatile atmosphere at the site.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Rajesh Vyas told reporters that 45 people, including 10 women, were detained on Saturday. He described the action as a “precautionary measure” taken to prevent escalation and ensure public safety. According to the police, all those detained were later released on bail, and no serious injuries were reported during the clash.

Despite the police explanation, the incident triggered strong political reactions. Congress leaders alleged that the police had acted under pressure from the ruling BJP and deliberately obstructed the fact-finding committee from carrying out its task. They claimed that the detentions were politically motivated and aimed at shielding the state government from scrutiny over the handling of the water contamination crisis.

“The administration prevented us from meeting grieving families and understanding their problems,” a senior Congress leader said, accusing the BJP of suppressing dissent and misusing the police machinery. The party maintained that its committee was in Bhagirathpura solely to express solidarity with affected residents and to gather facts about the outbreak and response measures.

The BJP, however, rejected these allegations outright. Party leaders countered that the Congress was indulging in “dirty politics” by attempting to exploit a public health tragedy for political mileage. They said the protest by BJP workers reflected public anger against what they described as opportunistic behaviour by the opposition.

“This is not the time for political theatrics,” a BJP leader said, adding that the state and municipal administrations were focused on controlling the outbreak, treating patients, and preventing further loss of life. The ruling party insisted that adequate measures were being taken to address the crisis and that politicisation would only hinder relief efforts.

At the heart of the controversy lies a grave public health emergency that has shaken Bhagirathpura, a locality with a large population from low- and middle-income groups. Over the past several days, residents have reported a sudden surge in cases of vomiting and diarrhoea, which officials have linked to contaminated drinking water supplied to the area.

According to official figures, at least six people have died due to the outbreak, and more than 200 residents have been hospitalised after falling ill. Health authorities have attributed the illness to water contamination, though investigations are ongoing to determine the exact source and nature of the contamination. Emergency measures, including the supply of clean drinking water through tankers and intensified chlorination, have reportedly been initiated.

However, the actual death toll remains a subject of dispute, fuelling public anger and political blame games. While official records confirm six deaths, other figures cited by authorities and residents vary significantly. Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava stated on Friday that he had information linking at least 10 deaths to the outbreak. Local residents, meanwhile, claim that as many as 16 people have died, including a six-month-old child, though these numbers have not been officially verified.

Families in Bhagirathpura have expressed grief and frustration, alleging delays in medical response and a lack of timely information from authorities. Many residents say the water supply had been emitting foul odours and unusual colours for days before people began falling sick, raising questions about monitoring and preventive action by civic agencies.

Public health officials have maintained that they are conducting water sample tests and have launched an inquiry to fix responsibility. Medical teams have been deployed in the area to provide treatment and conduct door-to-door surveys to identify new cases. Authorities have also urged residents to boil water before consumption and rely on alternative sources until the situation stabilises.

The political clash on Saturday has added another layer of tension to an already fraught situation. For many residents, the focus remains on accountability, transparency, and swift corrective action to ensure safe drinking water. The incident has also revived broader concerns about urban infrastructure, water quality monitoring, and the vulnerability of marginalised communities to public health crises.

As investigations continue and political tempers remain high, the tragedy in Bhagirathpura underscores the human cost of civic failures and the challenges of managing crises in a deeply polarised political environment. Whether the focus will shift back to relief and reform, or remain mired in partisan confrontation, remains to be seen in the days ahead.