Bhopal, Oct 8 (IANS) As 20 children have died allegedly after consuming contaminated cough syrup, the Congress will hold a candle march in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday to pay homage to the deceased.

Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state Assembly, Umang Singhar, who has levelled serious allegations on BJP government during a joint press conference in New Delhi, will also be visiting Chhindwara and meet the parents of the deceased kids later in the day.

The Congress on Tuesday demanded a judicial probe into the children deaths linked to cough syrup in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari had alleged that the corruption in the Mohan Yadav government led to this tragedy.

Notably, Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla on Tuesday visited hospitals in Nagpur and said that a total of 20 children from the state have died so far while undergoing treatment for kidney failure after drinking a contaminated cough syrup.

He said five children are currently under treatment in Nagpur – two each in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and one in a private hospital.

“A total 20 children from Madhya Pradesh have died so far, while five are being treated. The state government is committed to provide better treatment to save children,” Deputy Chief Minister Shukla said.

The syrup responsible for the deaths was manufactured by a company based in Tamil Nadu, he said, adding that action had been taken for negligence against the company owner, the doctor who gave the prescription and and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) officials involved.

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) and anganwadi workers have been directed to go door-to-door to collect any remaining bottles to ensure none of them remain in use, he said.

On Monday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had visited to Chhindwara and met the families who lost their children due to consumption of Coldrif cough syrup and assured them financial help and strict action against guilty.

Chief Minister Yadav has suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy director of the FDA and transferred the state’s drug controller amid an investigation.

While Chhindwara-based Praveen Soni was already arrested for alleged negligence, a case has been filed against the company that manufactured the Coldrif cough syrup.

The Madhya Pradesh Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the deaths and filed a case against the Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer of Coldrif.

–IANS

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