Madhya Pradesh Tragedy: Six Children Die of Suspected Cough Syrup Poisoning; Two Medicines Banned

Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh) | October 1, 2025 A heartbreaking health crisis has unfolded in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, where six children under the age of five have died of kidney failure in the past 15 days. Investigators now suspect that contaminated cough syrup, laced with toxic diethylene glycol, may be the cause of the sudden fatalities. What initially appeared to be routine seasonal fever cases quickly turned into a medical emergency. According to families, the children first showed mild symptoms of cough and cold. Local doctors prescribed common medicines, including cough syrups. For a short while, the children seemed to recover, but their condition soon deteriorated. Parents noticed a sudden decline in urine output, followed by kidney complications that worsened rapidly. Despite being rushed to advanced hospitals in Nagpur, Maharashtra, three of the children could not be saved. Others succumbed locally in Chhindwara. “Our children had never been seriously ill before,” said one grieving father. “This time it was just fever and cough. After the syrup, their urine stopped. We could do nothing.” The tragedy took a grim turn when kidney biopsy reports revealed traces of diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical historically linked to fatal cases of pharmaceutical contamination. Officials confirmed that most of the affected children had been administered two brands of cough syrup — Coldrif and Nextro-DS. Chhindwara Collector Sheelendra Singh acted swiftly, banning the sale of both syrups in the district. He also issued an advisory to doctors, pharmacists, and parents, warning them against their use. “The biopsy results strongly suggest a medicine link. Our water tests from the villages show no infection. The drug connection cannot be ignored,” Singh said. Given the severity of the crisis, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has dispatched a special team to Chhindwara. In addition, a two-member health team from Bhopal has been sent to affected areas, including Parasia and Newton Chikli, to conduct door-to-door surveys, interview families, and collect medicine samples for laboratory testing. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Naresh Gonare said the first suspected case appeared on August 24, with the first death recorded on September 7. Since September 20, more children began showing symptoms of urinary retention and kidney infections. “While viral infections are common at this time of year, sudden kidney failure in multiple children cannot be explained by seasonal illness alone. It suggests something more sinister,” he observed. To establish conclusive evidence, blood and syrup samples have been sent to the Virology Institute in Pune for detailed toxicology analysis. The results are expected to guide further action. Meanwhile, the families of the deceased children are demanding accountability. They want answers as to how contaminated medicines entered local markets and why safeguards failed to protect their children. The tragedy has sparked public anger, with mounting pressure on both state and central authorities to ensure strict monitoring of drug quality. As investigations continue, Chhindwara mourns the loss of six young lives, a grim reminder of the devastating consequences of pharmaceutical negligence. Six Children Die in Suspected Cough Syrup Tragedy In Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, six children under the age of five have died of kidney failure in just 15 days, with investigators suspecting contaminated cough syrups as the cause. Families said the children first showed mild fever and cough, but their condition worsened after taking the syrups, leading to kidney complications. Biopsy reports revealed traces of toxic diethylene glycol, prompting authorities to ban two medicines — Coldrif and Nextro-DS. An ICMR team and state health officials are now investigating, with samples sent for testing. Grieving families demand justice as the tragedy exposes dangerous lapses in drug safety.