Tara Basraj Maitre, a resident of Shreemati Indira Gandhi Rahiwasi Housing Society, Bandra (East), had been suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting for a week.
A 30-year-old woman from Bandra died on Wednesday afternoon. While her relatives and neighbours say she died after drinking contaminated water in her building, her post-mortem report says she died of pulmonary tuberculosis,. The deceased woman's relatives contest this finding vehemently.
Tara Basraj Maitre, a resident of Shreemati Indira Gandhi Rahiwasi Housing Society, Bandra (East), had been suffering from diarrhoea and vomiting for a week. “She was consulting a private practitioner,” Aasha Maitre, her neighbour, said. “When her condition worsened on Wednesday, we took her to Bhabha Hospital. But she passed away within a minute of reaching the hospital.”
Residents say at least 25 people were admitted to Bhabha Hospital for treatment over the past one week. All the residents from the three wings of the seven-floor building said they have been getting contaminated water since Holi. Though they registered a complaint against the BMC at the Bandra police station, nothing happened.
Dr Rajesh Dhere of the department of Forensic Medicine at Sion Hospital, who conducted the post-mortem, said: “According to the post-mortem, she died of tuberculosis… She did suffer some dehydration, but it is not conclusive.”
But Maitre’s relatives are unwilling to accept it. “The post-mortem says she died of pulmonary tuberculosis. This is a blatant lie,” Maitre’s sister-in-law Hemlata said. “She never complained of any cough. The authorities are trying to cover up the entire incident.”
“Earlier, the water used to be dirty occasionally,” said Bima Rehma Raj who was admitted to Bhabha for a day. “Now, the water is yellow in colour and reeks of faecal matter.”
Dr Abrar Ansari who lives in the area said there has been a jump in waterborne diseases.
Assistant municipal commissioner Narendra Lalwani said BMC officials had collected water samples for testing. “Our water is fit for drinking.”
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