In Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, the Drug and Pharmaceuticals Department carried out a raid at Kataria Pharmaceuticals distributor following reports that six children had died within 15 days, allegedly after consuming contaminated cough syrup. Distributor Rajpal Kataria reportedly stated that the cough syrup was supplied in Chhindwara, where more than 30 children fell ill and were later referred to hospitals in Nagpur, with six deaths being reported. He added that the medicine was distributed to New Apna Agency, Ayush Pharma, and Jain Medical and General Stores, and that the Coldrif syrup had been sourced from a company based in Chennai.
Drug Inspector Sharad Kumar Jain was quoted as saying that Kataria Pharmaceuticals had ordered 660 bottles of the Coldrif cough syrup from the Chennai-based company. Out of this, 594 bottles were reportedly supplied in Chhindwara, while 66 bottles were refrigerated. He further said that 16 bottles had been sent to Bholap Lab for testing as part of the investigation.
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In Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, six children reportedly lost their lives within a month due to the alleged use of contaminated cough syrup. Following the incident, the district administration banned the sale of two cough syrups after initial tests indicated contamination, which was suspected to have caused kidney failure in children. District Collector Sheelendra Singh stated that the deaths were recorded between September 4, 2025, and the present date. He mentioned that the syrups consumed by children were allegedly contaminated with diethylene glycol but clarified that no fresh cases had been reported in the past four days.
Singh further explained that the administration remained on high alert, with the health department actively working on the issue and a detailed investigation being conducted by experts. He noted that some doctors had advised exercising caution while prescribing syrups and medicines for children. The district administration has collected samples for further testing and issued advisories for doctors and parents, urging them to avoid certain syrups temporarily. Parents were also cautioned against consulting unqualified practitioners and advised to rely only on certified doctors, while ensuring children consume safe drinking water and nutritious food.