Dehradun, Oct. 11 -- The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department (FDA), Uttarakhand has collected as many as 286 samples of cough syrups from various medical stores, and distributors across 13 districts in the state in the wake of reports from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the consumption of certain cough syrup brands was allegedly linked to the deaths of several children, people aware of the matter said. Meanwhile, the licenses of 15 medical stores have been cancelled for the sale of banned syrups. According to officials, the reports of samples sent to the state drug laboratory in Dehradun are awaited. Additional Commissioner, FDA and Drug Controller Tajbar Singh Jaggi said they have started to crack down on banned cough syrups for children and have directed all drug controllers across the state to conduct surprise checks at medical stores, distributors, and hospital stores and conduct samples. "Our drug inspectors across the state have taken 286 samples of cough syrups across the state and sent them to the State Drug Laboratory in Dehradun for testing to check if they are adulterated or not. Their results are pending," he said. He said they have also cancelled the licenses of 15 chemists for selling the banned syrups. The Uttarakhand government on October 4 launched a state-wide crackdown on banned cough syrups and unsafe medicines following a union government's advisory and reports of child fatalities linked to cough syrups in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh....