Dhaka, Oct. 6 -- Indian authorities say they are investigating whether contaminated cough syrup caused the deaths of nine children, all aged below five years, in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan since late August.

The investigation was ordered by the federal Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday after a batch of the medication was found to contain dangerous levels of a toxic chemical.

The ministry said samples of Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharma in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, were tested by state authorities and found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG) exceeding permissible limits.

DEG is a toxic substance used in industrial solvents that can be fatal if ingested even in small amounts.

"Th...