Youth Congress protests over Indore water contamination tragedy

Indore, Jan 2 (PTI) Youth Congress activists carrying a large `ghanta' or bell on Friday staged a protest outside the Indore Municipal Corporation headquarters over the contaminated water tragedy.

Police detained 21 activists as a preventive measure, an official said.

Senior Madhya Pradesh minister and local MLA Kailash Vijayvargiya sparked a controversy on Wednesday night by using the word "ghanta" while responding to a TV journalist's questions on the developments in Indore.

In common parlance, the term is broadly understood to mean "nonsense".

The protesters alleged that the deaths due to contaminated water in the city's Bhagirathpura area were the result of administrative negligence and corruption by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

They demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the families of the deceased, immediate resignation of Vijayvargiya and Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava, and registration of cases against responsible officials.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Rajesh Vyas told PTI that 21 people, including three women, were detained as a precaution due to the protesters' aggressive conduct.

Eyewitnesses said police personnel snatched the bell which the protesters were ringing.

Bhagirathpura falls under Vijayvargiya's Assembly constituency, Indore-1.

The minister, who visited a health centre in Bhagirathpura on Friday, appeared to avoid media questions on the issue and said he would respond at an official press conference.

Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said on Friday that he had information about 10 patients dying due to a diarrhea outbreak caused by contaminated drinking water. However, the state government told the Madhya Pradesh High Court in its latest status report that it was aware of deaths of four elderly persons, including two women, so far. PTI HWP LAL KRK