Haryana village reports 12 deaths in 15 days, drinking water under probe

While health officials have detected Hepatitis B and C in a few cases and found 23 of 107 water samples failing quality tests due to bacterial growth and low chlorination, the exact cause of the deaths is still under investigation.

At least 12 people, including five schoolchildren, have died in the past 15 days in Chayansa village of Palwal district in Haryana in what local residents and health officials increasingly suspect is linked to contaminated drinking water.

Villagers say the first three deaths occurred about 15 days ago after sudden illness, and since then the death toll has steadily risen. Every household in the village now has someone suffering from symptoms such as fever, cough, body ache and vomiting, and several patients remain in serious condition despite multiple hospital visits.

Health department teams are camped in the village conducting screening and collecting blood samples from hundreds of residents, but officials have not yet pinned down a definitive cause for the deaths. Most victims exhibited similar symptoms.

Residents believe unsafe drinking water could be to blame. The village of about 5,000 people relies on a mix of sources: limited municipal supply, underground storage tanks in homes, tanker water brought from outside, and RO-treated water sourced from nearby Hithin town. Many homes store water in underground tanks that are refilled irregularly.

Villagers also questioned why Hepatitis B and C have been reported as causes in only some fatalities, while others have been attributed to multi-organ failure and liver infection - raising broader concerns about waterborne diseases.

Local health officials said they began investigations on February 1, collecting medical records and samples. Of roughly 300 blood samples tested so far, only two confirmed Hepatitis B or C. Over 400 people have been screened. Drinking water tests have also begun: of 107 household water samples collected, 23 failed quality checks, showing bacterial growth and inadequate chlorination in stored water.