India, Jan. 2 -- At least nine people have died and more than 150 others have been hospitalised after consuming contaminated water in Indore's Bhagirathpura area of Madhya Pradesh. An inquiry launched into the incident has now found the presence of bacteria "generally found in sewer water" in drinking water samples, according to officials familiar with the matter.

Notably, the state government has vowed to take emergency measures after it received massive backlash over the incident, as local residents complained of inaction over the contamination earlier.

Three days after the first patients were admitted with vomiting and diarrhoea, officials told HT on Thursday that initial findings from the inquiry pointed to bacteria "generally found...