Cough syrup tragedy: Toll hits 17; doctors say toxic chemical affecting brain

NAGPUR/BHOPAL: Toxic cough syrup Coldrif prescribed to children in MP's Chhindwara snuffed out two more lives on Tuesday, taking the toll to 17 in 43 days. Jayashu Yaduvanshi and Vedansh Pawar, both aged two and suffering from renal failure, succumbed during treatment in Nagpur, report Sarfaraz Ahmed and Amarjeet Singh. Both died following severe brain damage inflicted by diethylene glycol. Dr Ashish Lothe GMCH said DEG sticks to brain tissues and is impossible to filter. "Permissible limit is 0.1%, but DEG was at 48.6%, nearly 500% more," he said. Civic & health officials in Nagpur said 11 children remain critical. A door-to-door survey was launched to trace bottles of Coldrif that were already sold by the time the ban was imposed, Parasia SDM Shubham Yadav told TOI.