Six-month-old Avyaan Sahu died on 29 December after falling ill in the Bhagirathpur area of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, his family says. The child, born after a decade of prayers and vows in the family, was reportedly given powdered milk mixed with local municipal water because the mother was unable to produce sufficient breast milk.
Indore infant death contaminated water
The family allege that the water used to prepare the milk was contaminated with sewage from a nearby drain and that the infant developed severe diarrhoea before losing his life. Relatives say Avyaan had been healthy, weighing about five kilograms, and was playing in his mother’s arms before he suddenly fell ill.
“We have lost our child. Monetary compensation will not bring him back,” Avyaan’s grandmother, Krishna Sahu, said. She added that following years of prayers at the Hussain Tekri dargah, the baby’s arrival had been a moment of joy for the family. “We refused any compensation from the state government,” she said, describing the family’s shock and grief.
According to family members, the child developed acute diarrhoea, and despite home treatment recommended by local practitioners, his condition deteriorated and he was pronounced dead at hospital. The family say they had used powdered milk reconstituted with municipal water supplied via a local pipeline that they believe was polluted.
Residents of the Marathi Mohalla in Bhagirathpur expressed shock at the sudden death. Several neighbours said there are long-standing concerns about drainage and water contamination in parts of the locality. Local campaigners and health activists say incidents of water contamination pose a particular risk to infants and vulnerable residents.
Public health experts stress that infants are especially susceptible to waterborne infections. Where mothers cannot breastfeed, safe water and properly prepared formula are essential. Contaminated water can cause severe diarrhoeal disease, which may rapidly become fatal in young babies without prompt medical intervention.
Family members told reporters they had not received any official explanation linking the water to the death, and they have urged authorities to test the local supply and investigate whether contamination was a factor. “We want an inquiry and action to prevent another family suffering like ours,” Krishna Sahu said.
Officials from the municipal corporation and health department were not available for immediate comment. It remains unclear whether any samples of the water were taken for laboratory testing or whether an official post-mortem attributed the cause of death to an infectious disease contracted from contaminated water.
Local non-governmental organisations and public health advocates urged the municipal authority to prioritise safe water provision and to expand outreach about safe infant feeding practices in areas where access to clean water is unreliable. They also recommended emergency measures such as providing safe pasteurised milk supplies or safe water kits to households with infants until the supply is secured.
As the family mourns, the case highlights broader concerns about water safety and infant health in urban areas. Residents and activists say systemic improvements in drainage, regular monitoring of water quality, and timelier public-health responses are required to prevent such tragedies in future.
Key Takeaways:
- Six-month-old infant in Indore died after being given powdered milk mixed with municipal water, the family alleges.
- Family says they rejected state compensation and blame contaminated water for the child’s death.
- Authorities have been urged to investigate water safety and ensure safe infant-feeding supplies.
