India, Oct. 4 -- The Madhya Pradesh government on Saturday officially banned the sale of Coldrif cough syrup across the state after the deaths of nine children were reported in Parasia Tehsil of Chhindwara district, allegedly due to kidney-related complications caused by contaminated cough syrup.

The decision follows a test report confirming high levels of diethylene glycol - a toxic compound - in the syrup.

"The concentration of diethylene glycol was found to be over 48% compared to the permissible limit of just 0.1% in Coldrif. The concentration is extremely dangerous," drug controller D.K. Maurya said.

"So far, the syrup appears to have been supplied only in the Chhindwara area. It has not been found in other districts. But we have ...