Five-Year-Old’s Death in Sikar Spurs Probe into Cough Syrup Safety

Sikar, Rajasthan, October 1, 2025 — A five-year-old boy, identified as Nityansh Sharma, died after allegedly consuming a dextromethorphan-based cough syrup in Rajasthan’s Sikar district. The incident has triggered a state-level probe into the medicine’s safety and distribution.

According to family members, the child consumed the syrup late on a Sunday night and died the following morning. Villagers claimed that the cough syrup had been supplied under Rajasthan’s free drug scheme at the Chirana Community Health Centre (CHC).

Following the child’s death, the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation (RMSCL) immediately suspended distribution of the implicated batches across the state.

A senior health ministry official, in an interview with ETHealthworld, said the syrup in question was neither prescribed by the attending doctor nor supplied to the CHC in Sikar under the government’s free medicine program. The official further stated that the family had not visited the CHC on the date they claimed the medicine was obtained, raising doubts about how the syrup was procured.

Dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in over-the-counter cough and cold medications, is widely used for its antitussive properties. However, misuse of this substance has been associated with a range of adverse effects, including cardiovascular, neurological, metabolic, and musculoskeletal complications.

Emergency department providers should be vigilant and prepared to manage potential cases of dextromethorphan toxicity, which may present with symptoms such as hypertension, seizures, tachycardia, psychosis, and rhabdomyolysis. Prompt recognition and appropriate management are crucial to mitigate the risks associated with this substance. ¹

The Sikar case is not isolated. In Bharatpur district, a two-year-old reportedly died after consuming the same syrup, while siblings who also ingested it fell ill but survived. In another unusual development, a doctor in Bayana consumed the syrup publicly to demonstrate its safety but collapsed hours later and was found unconscious in his car.

These incidents have intensified concerns about the quality of the medicine and the possibility of toxic contamination.

Rajasthan’s Health Minister Gajendra Khimsar has ordered a full inquiry into the child’s death and the distribution of the syrup. A three-member committee has been formed to examine medical records, prescription details, and supply chains. Drug samples from the contested batches have been sent to the state laboratory for urgent testing.

The RMSCL has already suspended distribution of multiple batches of the medicine pending test results. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has also collected water, drug, and environmental samples from affected districts to determine whether contamination or another factor may be responsible.

The syrup is marketed by Kayson Pharma and contains dextromethorphan hydrobromide. The company has previously faced penalties, including a debarment by RMSCL in 2022 over irregularities in state medicine supply contracts.

With this background, opposition leaders and public health activists are demanding a judicial inquiry, alleging lapses in drug procurement and oversight under the government’s free-medicine scheme.

Officials stress that a direct causal link between the syrup and the child’s death can only be established after laboratory analysis. The family’s refusal to allow a post-mortem examination has made it harder to confirm toxicological evidence.

Reference:

1. JD Journey, "Dextromethorphan Toxicity," in StatPearls, ed. [Editor Name(s)] (Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing, 2023), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538502/.

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