NEW DELHI, Oct. 1 -- Following the tragic deaths of six children in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district from acute kidney failure, the Union health ministry has launched a comprehensive, multi-agency investigation. A team from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has been deployed to the region, officials familiar with the matter said.

Health officials strongly suspect a contaminated cough syrup is responsible for the fatalities. Preliminary reports suggest the over-the-counter medicine may have been tainted with diethylene glycol (DEG), a highly toxic chemical known to cause severe kidney damage. The government's swift response aims to pinpoint the exact cause and halt further tragedies.

The crisis came to light after the fi...