Six MP children die due to kidney failure linked to contaminated cough syrup

Chhindwara collector Sheelendra Singh said the cough syrup administered to the children was allegedly contaminated with diethylene glycol

Published on: Sep 30, 2025, 22:43:24 IST

By Shruti Tomar

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

BHOPAL: Six children have died of kidney failure over the past month in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district due to the alleged use of contaminated cough syrup, district officials said on Tuesday.

According to the US CDC, DEG is often found as a contaminant in glycerin, which is used as a sweetener in many pharmaceutical syrups taken orally (Pixabay)

Chhindwara district collector Sheelendra Singh on Tuesday prohibited chemists from selling two cough syrups after tests indicated that they were allegedly contaminated and may have led to kidney failure in the children.

“The cough syrup administered to the children was allegedly contaminated with diethylene glycol,” Singh said, adding that the deaths were linked to kidney failure.

Diethylene glycol (DEG) is an industrial solvent used in the making of paints, ink and brake fluids. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, DEG is often found as a contaminant in glycerin, which is used as a sweetener in many pharmaceutical syrups taken orally.

District officials stated that the first suspected case was reported on August 24, when a child from Parasiya village presented with a high fever and cold. The first death occurred on September 7 due to kidney failure.

“After developing fever and cold, the children experienced difficulty in urination and were referred to Nagpur for treatment but could not be saved,” said Chhindwara chief medical and health officer Dr Naresh Gunnade.

Despite medical efforts, they could not be saved. “Kidney biopsies revealed the presence of diethylene glycol, a toxic compound found in the cough syrup given to the affected children,” he said.

Singh said that the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Delhi had been informed about the deaths.

Additionally, blood samples of the affected children were sent to the Virology Institute in Pune for analysis.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.