New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- The deaths of two children in Rajasthan, suspected to be linked to a generic cough syrup supplied to the government, have sparked an inquiry, while 22 batches of the drug have been banned.

The issue caught the attention of authorities only on Monday after a five-year-old from the Sikar district died, hours after being administered the drug at a community health centre in the state, despite another two-year-old succumbing for the same reason on September 22 in Bharatpur, and eight children falling ill after consuming the syrup last week.

News agency PTI reported that a senior medical practitioner-Dr Tarachand Yogi, in charge of the Bayana community health centre-volunteered to consume the syrup to demonstrate that it...