- 16 hours ago
The top focus of this 5 Live episode is on the deaths of at least eight children across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, allegedly linked to a cough syrup containing dextromethorphan hydrobromide.
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00:00Hi there, I'm Sorameer Uttar Kapoor. This is 5 Live. Over the next one hour, we'll bring you stories that demand your time, your attention, stories that should be igniting conversations even between friends today.
00:13And since this is 5 o'clock, we always make it health o'clock. So we talk about stories to bring out the happiest, healthiest version of yourself.
00:21Of course, we've got our eyes on the cough syrup as we've been chasing it for the past four days now.
00:26All the latest. First up, what are the 10 big news at 5 o'clock today? Let's take a look.
00:34High Court has scrapped the plea-seeking CBI probe into the Vijay Rally stampede. High Court pulls up Vijay, says party leader fled from scene of occurrence, slams the cops also over police inaction against him.
00:48The High Court has now formed an SIT to investigate the stampede.
00:52Next up, Indian Air Force chief has busted Pakistan lies on Operation Sindur, says the Indian jets down in Pakistan is a Manohar kahani.
01:04Simply not true, says the longest kill, 300 kilometers in park territory conducted by the Air Force.
01:10More acts, meanwhile, of debauchery by the sleazy Swami. Molester Baba's phone actually reveals what he was all about.
01:22Inappropriate comments on students' yoga pictures. He has also now been remanded to judicial custody of 14 days.
01:29Meanwhile, Zubin's show organiser has moved to Supreme Court from Singapore. Organiser is now Mahanta is his name, claimed witch hunt in this case is happening.
01:45The singers there, Amrit Prabha, Mahanta and Shekhar have been arrested.
01:49Meanwhile, battle for Chief Minister's chair in Karnataka is heating up again with the power-sharing bus, loyalist pressure and political posturing back in full swing.
02:03Despite denials from CM Siddhar Ramayya, his deputy D.K. Sivakumar camp isn't backing down.
02:09And is a leadership change finally now coming in November? We'll bring you the details.
02:15Former Pakistan cricketer, Sana Amir has issued now a clarification about a controversial usage of the term Azad Kashmir on a live TV during the World Cup.
02:28The Women's World Cup 2025 match commentating during the Pakistan vs Bangladesh match on Thursday.
02:34Meir had called Natalia Parvezia as a player from Azad Kashmir, referring to the Indian region that is illegally occupied by Kashmir.
02:43Sana Amir has now issued a clarification on social media stating that her comment was harmless and had been blown out of proportion.
02:52But staying with Pakistan, POK protest rage reaches the heart of Pakistan now.
02:58Thousands of people are seen marching towards Muzaffarabad from various locations.
03:04This comes after an unprecedented crackdown, during which Islamabad police stormed the National Press Club as well,
03:11unleashing violence on journalists and protesters.
03:17Displaced people in the war-torn Gaza strip eagerly await supplies from the global amid Israel's interception of the flotilla.
03:28Now, it has aimed to challenge Israel's naval blockade and also deliver food and medical aid to the Palestinians.
03:35The Israeli foreign minister has confirmed, detaining several ships from.
03:44A new liquor policy is set to be introduced in Delhi within the next one month,
03:48with sources now claiming that the draft of the new policy is almost ready.
03:53Discussions have been held on lowering the drinking age for beer as well,
03:58but sources indicate that consensus is yet to be reached.
04:01Meanwhile, Kantara Chapter 1 rode in theatres, smashing several records.
04:09The theatres shook audiences, cheered, and the box office now surrendered.
04:15The film has earned 60 crores net in India on the day of the release itself.
04:20The film has earned 60 crores net in India on the day of the release itself.
04:22For our top story here on Five Like.
04:29Unlike the cold it is meant to cure,
04:31the debate over the ubiquitous cough syrup is turning out to be anything but common.
04:38As we speak, at least 11 deaths of children have been reported across two states,
04:45with two deaths being confirmed in Rajasthan
04:47and a whopping nine deaths being reported in Madhya Pradesh's Jindwara district.
04:52And this is just over the past fortnight.
04:55Remember, we've been continuously bringing you updates on the story for the past four days.
04:59Dozens more children have fallen critically ill.
05:03All of them had one thing in common.
05:05They were given a cough syrup,
05:07containing what is now called dextrometorphine hydrobromide,
05:11just DM if you want for reference sake.
05:14A formulation that was sold even after the 40 quality tests that it went on to failed completely.
05:24But here's where things get really bizarre and answers have not been achieved.
05:30The CDSCO sources have told India today,
05:33CDSCO is basically a body that checks and keeps a check on all these drugs that are floated out.
05:38They have told India today that until now,
05:42their testings have found no contamination of cough syrup samples in Madhya Pradesh.
05:48They go on to claim that all the reports of syrup contamination were unsubstantiated and baseless.
05:56Furthermore, the NCDC blood reports of nearly 500 people
06:01have also reported to be negative of any infectious disease in Madhya Pradesh.
06:08What does this mean?
06:09This means that when government tests were carried out,
06:13they found the samples to be okay
06:16and they did not find any infection in the samples of the people which were collected,
06:23500 people in Madhya Pradesh.
06:25So what led to these deaths?
06:27Did no one kill these children?
06:29What happened there, we still do not know.
06:34So let's get this straight.
06:35If the authorities and MP in Madhya Pradesh are to be believed,
06:39the cough syrups are safe, nobody is even infected,
06:43so have these nine children dropped dead out of their own accord?
06:47Is this not an absolute height of shamelessness,
06:50sort of shirking accountability in the face of a looming health crisis?
06:55What exactly is going on?
06:59So that was the case in Madhya Pradesh.
07:07Let's tell you what's happening in Rajasthan.
07:09Rajasthan cough syrup stories, where we are getting the update,
07:13that case in Sparma, remember we've been telling you about this thing for the past two days as well,
07:17the company, that company has also now passed the drug test.
07:21Sources from the health department say overdose is to be blamed for the deaths.
07:26There was nothing wrong in those cough syrups at all,
07:30which is absolutely bizarre to say the least,
07:33because not just have kids died because of those cough syrups,
07:38but a senior health official who took the cough syrup himself,
07:42after there were some protests and questions by the parents,
07:47he also collapsed.
07:49So what exactly is happening here,
07:51when report after report, anecdote after anecdote,
07:55case study after case study on the ground seems to be pointing towards the contamination,
08:00but all tests are coming out absolutely clean.
08:03What's the story here?
08:05Where does the truth lie?
08:08Let's break it open with our reporters now.
08:10Sharath Kumar joins us live from Jaipur.
08:12He's covering the Rajasthan aspect of this story
08:15and Milan Sharma is here with us in Delhi,
08:17tracking all the details from Madhya Pradesh.
08:19Sharath, you first.
08:21So we were talking about this last four days
08:24and we were constantly telling people this thing,
08:28that a cough syrup is to be blamed.
08:30But now the test was released,
08:32and the government said that the cough syrup was right.
08:36So how did the death of the children's children come out?
08:38The government was there with a doctor,
08:42who had a cough syrup himself and was exhausted.
08:45And there was nothing that happened with us.
08:47How did the report justify this?
08:48How did the report justify this?
08:53I was in the past,
08:56when I was in the past,
08:57when I was a drug controller,
09:00I was in the same place.
09:00Thank you very much.
09:30Thank you very much.
12:00or doctor pharmacist
12:03but the question is
12:04why all parents do this
12:06do this right now
12:07the answer to health minister
12:09or health ministry
12:12which they are not giving
12:14and they have given a clean sheet
12:16now the answer is not giving
12:1840 times
12:20this sample has been added
12:21what is the problem
12:23when will you buy it again
12:25right
12:28right
12:29we also have Dr. Bhardwaj
12:32here with us
12:32I will go to her also
12:33in just a bit
12:34but let us put this story
12:37into a bit of a context
12:38you just heard from Sharath
12:39on what he is saying
12:40about Rajasthan
12:41but in view of the recent reports
12:43suggesting that child deaths
12:44in Madhya Pradesh
12:45were linked to consumption
12:46of cough syrups
12:47a joint team
12:49consisting of
12:51of leaders
12:54a joint team also consisting
12:56of representative of the
12:57NCDC
12:59that's the National Center
12:59of Disease Control
13:00also of NIV
13:02also of
13:03which is the National Institute
13:04of Virology
13:05of the Central Drug Standard
13:07Control Organization
13:08CDSCO
13:09which I have been saying
13:09they all visited the site
13:11and various samples
13:12were collected
13:13in coordination
13:14with the state authorities
13:15including the samples
13:16of the various cough syrups
13:18so what happened there
13:19let's get a quick
13:20understanding from Milan
13:21there as well
13:22so Milan
13:22the bottom line here is
13:25that nobody knows
13:27what led to the deaths
13:28of these kids
13:29because the samples
13:31are correct
13:31and there are no
13:32infectious diseases
13:33that have been found
13:34as well
13:34so no one killed
13:35these deaths
13:36no one killed
13:36these kids
13:37well Sonal
13:42that is the question
13:44that remains
13:45hanging in the air
13:46because we've just
13:47received a statement
13:48from the Union Health Ministry
13:50reacting on the deaths
13:52of children
13:53in Madhya Pradesh
13:54as well as in Rajasthan
13:55and clearly
13:56in a brief
13:58I'll tell you
13:58the statement says
13:59that as per the test results
14:01none of the samples
14:02contain DEG
14:03that is
14:04diethylene glycol
14:05and ethylene glycol
14:07which are contaminants
14:08known to cause
14:09serious kidney injury
14:10in the case of Madhya Pradesh
14:11and they have said
14:13that one of the samples
14:14that they had sent
14:14to NIV Pune
14:16has been found
14:16to be positive
14:17for leptospirosis
14:18other than that
14:20in fact
14:21even in the case
14:22of Rajasthan
14:23the statement
14:23of the Union Health Ministry
14:25they are saying
14:25that the product
14:27in question
14:28does not contain
14:29propylene glycol
14:30which has been
14:30potential source
14:31of contaminants
14:32or the DEG
14:33or EG
14:34so additionally
14:35the product
14:35under reference
14:36is the dextromethofan
14:38based formulation
14:39which is not
14:39recommended
14:40for paediatric usage
14:42and clearly there
14:43the health ministries
14:44also reacted
14:45to the reports
14:46that we've been running
14:47on India today
14:48and they have said
14:49that they have not
14:49found any contamination
14:51neither in Madhya Pradesh
14:52nor in Rajasthan
14:53and as my colleague
14:54was earlier pointing out
14:55to us
14:56Sharath
14:56that they have been
14:58given a clean shit
14:59all these pharma companies
15:00so the real question
15:01remains in the air
15:02that what happened
15:03why and what led
15:04to the deaths
15:05of these nine children
15:06there needs to be
15:07a separate investigation
15:08because the NCDC
15:09the ICMR
15:10have checked water samples
15:12they've checked blood samples
15:13of these children
15:14in the nearby areas
15:15they say there is
15:16no other problem
15:17in terms of infectious diseases
15:19or any sort of outbreak
15:20so what is the reason
15:21that has led to the death
15:23is the question
15:24Leptospirosis is what
15:25it's basically
15:25a bacterial disease
15:26right
15:27it spreads through urine
15:28of infected animals
15:30etc
15:30so then
15:31are they conclusively
15:32saying that
15:33that's the cause
15:34in the case of
15:34Madhya Pradesh
15:35the nine deaths
15:36at least
15:36are we to conclude that
15:37that's what sonal
15:42so they've said
15:42only one
15:43one sample tested
15:45has been found
15:46to be positive
15:46for Leptospirosis
15:48so it doesn't really
15:49say
15:49what happened
15:50to the other
15:51children
15:52who have died
15:53so one sample
15:54does not mean
15:56that everybody
15:56had the same problem
15:57and more investigation
16:00needs to be done
16:01and the government
16:01has not really said
16:02clearly that
16:03everyone had
16:04Leptospirosis
16:05but one particular
16:06sample that went
16:07to NIV Pune
16:08the lab that is
16:10tasked with
16:11looking at
16:12infectious diseases
16:13in India
16:13has said
16:14just one case
16:15has happened
16:15in that particular
16:16area of
16:17Parsaria
16:18in Chindwara
16:19in Madhya Pradesh
16:19so more investigation
16:21is needed
16:21and therefore
16:22who killed
16:23these children
16:23what happened
16:24to their deaths
16:25need to be
16:25investigated
16:26by the health
16:27agencies in India
16:28okay
16:29Milan stay on
16:30with us
16:30let me get
16:32a doctor's
16:33perspective here
16:34Dr. Madhavi Bharadwaj
16:35is with us
16:36she's a pediatrician
16:37Dr. Bharadwaj
16:39I'm trying to
16:40understand this
16:41is it medically
16:42possible
16:43that if
16:44you consume
16:46say a full
16:47bottle
16:48of cough syrup
16:49which is
16:51which has
16:53DM in it
16:54right
16:55is it possible
16:56yes
16:57is it possible
16:58that it can
16:58lead to death
16:59at all
17:00is there
17:01any formulation
17:02of any
17:03cough syrup
17:03which if
17:04administered
17:05in higher
17:06dosage
17:06can take
17:07away lives
17:08of young
17:09kids
17:09is that
17:09possible
17:10so dextromethorphan
17:12comes with a
17:13disclaimer
17:13that it should
17:14not be given
17:14in kids
17:15less than
17:154 years old
17:16because it
17:17can cause
17:18respiratory
17:19depression
17:19okay
17:20so a child
17:21who has
17:22lung infection
17:23is coughing
17:24you give this
17:25cough suppressant
17:26if the child
17:27is already
17:28borderline
17:29you know
17:29in with
17:30failing lungs
17:31and you give
17:32this cough
17:32suppressant
17:33it can
17:33worsen the
17:34situation
17:34or cause
17:35you know
17:36respiratory
17:36depression
17:37and then
17:38ultimately
17:38cardiac arrest
17:39or death
17:39yes
17:40but the
17:40thing is
17:41probably
17:43dextromethorphan
17:44usually we do
17:45not really give
17:46in small kids
17:47it is given
17:48in bigger
17:48children only
17:49but cough
17:50itself is a
17:51protective
17:51reflex
17:52what I
17:52really don't
17:53understand is
17:54why cough
17:56syrups are
17:57you know
17:57available over
17:58the counter
17:58it has to be
18:00given by a
18:01doctor only
18:02after prescription
18:03in you know
18:04known and
18:05safe dosage
18:06only and for
18:07a particular
18:08number of
18:09days only
18:09under a
18:10doctor's
18:10supervision
18:10if I give
18:11a medicine
18:12and I want
18:12the child
18:13to come back
18:13to me
18:13after 24
18:1448 hours
18:15it has to
18:16be followed
18:16like that
18:17so the
18:18problem here
18:18is a lot
18:19of medicines
18:20which could
18:21be potentially
18:21dangerous
18:22are available
18:23and then
18:24yes they
18:24could be
18:25you know
18:25consumed
18:26by small
18:27kids
18:27sometimes a
18:28doctor prescribes
18:29it in
18:30certain case
18:31scenario and
18:31then it could
18:32be used in
18:33a not so fit
18:34case scenario
18:34in this case
18:36a doctor did
18:37prescribe it
18:38in this case
18:39they went to
18:40a sarkari
18:41hospital and
18:42there in
18:43Rajasthan in
18:44the case of
18:44Rajasthan at
18:45least and both
18:45these kids I
18:46just checked
18:46are 3 and
18:475 so why
18:49was the cough
18:50syrup given is
18:51a good question
18:51we should get
18:53to that but
18:54second I want
18:55to say it's
18:55not like they
18:56went and bought
18:56it they went
18:57to a Jan
18:58Aushadi Kendra
18:59which is a
19:00government Kendra
19:01where you are
19:01given medicines
19:02and you give a
19:03parcha from your
19:04doctor from a
19:05sarkari hospital
19:06you go and
19:06they give you
19:07free medication
19:08this medication
19:09has come through
19:09that
19:10so see these
19:12cases where
19:13something bad
19:14happens you
19:15really need a
19:16good you know
19:18team investigating
19:19the whole thing
19:19was the child
19:21sick too sick
19:22to receive oral
19:23medication
19:24sometimes when
19:25you give a
19:25safe medicine
19:26in a child
19:27with respiratory
19:27distress this
19:29medicine can
19:29directly enter
19:30the lungs
19:31and you know
19:32cause a
19:33respiratory arrest
19:34cardiac arrest
19:35and then yes
19:35ultimately death
19:36so we really
19:38do not know
19:38clinically what
19:39happened with
19:40each child
19:40without knowing
19:42the whole
19:42background it
19:43wouldn't be
19:43right to blame
19:44anybody from
19:45my side because
19:46as a doctor I
19:46have seen the
19:47worst patients
19:48also a stable
19:49patient also
19:50doing well with
19:50some medicine
19:51and not but
19:52yes there are
19:53a number of
19:54questions like
19:55you are asking
19:55why this medicine
19:56was given which
19:57was not to be
19:57given in smaller
19:59kids then why
20:00was it available
20:00why the doctor
20:01was giving but
20:02nobody knows what
20:03was the case
20:04scenario there
20:04was the child
20:05too sick was
20:07the infection too
20:08severe any viral
20:09infection can
20:10involve random
20:11other organ
20:11systems also other
20:13than the lungs
20:13so we really do
20:14not know
20:15how was the
20:15clinical status
20:17without knowing
20:19the whole picture
20:20it is very
20:20difficult to you
20:21know blame
20:22anybody anywhere
20:23no no that's a
20:24good way to look
20:24at it but I
20:25want to understand
20:26this from you
20:26Dr. Bharadwaj
20:27since you don't
20:28operate in the
20:29metros since you
20:30since you operate
20:32in Jalandhar if I'm
20:33not wrong
20:34no
20:34Chandigarh
20:35Ziragpur
20:36in Ziragpur
20:37in Ziragpur
20:38great almost there
20:39so since you
20:40operate in
20:41Ziragpur
20:42and you are
20:43perhaps well
20:44versed with
20:44how perhaps
20:47these government
20:47centres work
20:48would you say
20:50that what is
20:51the reality
20:52could you tell
20:52us in terms
20:53of the quality
20:55of medicines
20:56that is
20:56administered there
20:58in your own
20:59experience have
21:00you found them
21:00to be doubtful
21:02have you ever
21:03had to question
21:04we often debate
21:05by why doctors
21:06are prescribing
21:06brands and not
21:07generics
21:08do you have a
21:09take on why
21:10that happens
21:10so true I
21:12would say
21:13efficacy wise
21:14sometimes I
21:15felt probably
21:16the medicine
21:16is not working
21:17as good
21:18okay but I
21:19am yet to
21:19see a you
21:20know death
21:22or adverse
21:24drug reaction
21:25in an OPD
21:26or in a like
21:27when I was
21:28working in Delhi
21:28also in a
21:29government hospital
21:30we would go
21:30for to these
21:31mohalla clinics
21:32and give medicines
21:33which were
21:33available there
21:34right but I
21:35am I never
21:36saw any adverse
21:37drug reaction
21:37yes efficacy
21:38sometimes we
21:39questioned
21:39probably this
21:41is you know
21:41under the
21:43drug dosage
21:44whatever I
21:44am prescribing
21:45is not giving
21:46adequate effect
21:46probably it is
21:47not up to the
21:48mark and yes
21:48we have this
21:49inclination
21:50a good brand
21:51would be you
21:52know answerable
21:53they would have
21:53good regulation
21:54safety regulation
21:55and probably
21:56they are more
21:56answerable so
21:57their medicines
21:58work better
21:59and are safer
22:00but I am yet
22:01to see any
22:02deaths thank
22:03god for that
22:04I really don't
22:05want to see any
22:05child dying at
22:06least in my
22:07OPD work or
22:08otherwise but
22:09no not adverse
22:10drug reactions
22:10such bad drug
22:12reactions never
22:12you've never
22:14seen but the
22:16reality here is
22:17and what my
22:17colleague Sharath
22:18was also
22:18pointing out is
22:19that there are
22:20these same two
22:21or three pharma
22:22companies which
22:22have failed
22:23tests and their
22:25samples have
22:25failed tests in
22:26the past several
22:27times in fact he
22:28has a number
22:28that's some
22:29950 samples
22:31failed tests
22:33in five years
22:34yes Sonal so I
22:35absolutely love
22:36the fact that
22:37today with this
22:38awareness level
22:39with social media
22:40with you guys
22:41doing good work
22:42we need to
22:43question these
22:43things if we
22:45don't question
22:46probably we will
22:47not solve this
22:48problem it will
22:48keep on recurring
22:49two years later
22:50six months later
22:51so we need to
22:53question everything
22:54you know present
22:55in the loop
22:56probably the drug
22:58the drug company
23:00the whether we
23:01should give cough
23:02syrups so casually
23:03we need to question
23:04ourselves as a doctor
23:05as well and as
23:06parents also I think
23:08parents also take
23:09it sometimes
23:09so I was going to
23:11come to that as a
23:12mother like my if
23:13like she was unwell
23:15for five seven days
23:16I did not give her
23:17any cough syrup any
23:18zukham khansika
23:19medicine because she
23:20was manageable see
23:21every zukham khansi
23:23cough a single
23:25sneeze does not need
23:26a quick fix if your
23:27child is coughing
23:28probably five to six
23:29times a day in the
23:30night they cough
23:31occasionally but you
23:31you know put some
23:32saline drops make
23:33them comfortable safely
23:35give them steam and
23:37you know put them
23:37close to you keep
23:38feeding your baby
23:39hydration activity is
23:41fine you stay put or
23:42you stay under your
23:43doctor's follow-up do
23:45not rush to medicines
23:46really human body is
23:48built beautifully it
23:49repairs itself
23:50that's actually an
23:51excellent advice and
23:53just the update that
23:54we are getting it just
23:54hold on to us there's
23:55more news and update
23:56coming on the issue of
23:58cough syrups this time
23:59from the union health
24:00ministry the advisory
24:02that has just come in
24:03let's tell you a little
24:04bit about that the
24:05union health ministry
24:06now has issued a
24:09issued an advisory
24:11giving cough syrups to
24:12children less than five
24:13years now the dghs that's
24:16the director general of
24:17health services in the
24:18union ministry of health
24:19that's basically the
24:20health department here in
24:21the center has issued an
24:23advisory to all states
24:25and union territories to
24:26rationalize the use of
24:28cough syrups in
24:29pediatric population just
24:31exactly what we were
24:32discussing finally an
24:33advisory has come in from
24:35the union health ministry
24:36and dr bharadwaj like i
24:38was saying exactly what
24:39the government has sort of
24:40taken note of this is
24:42sadly happened after the
24:43death of nine in fact
24:4411 kids now cut across
24:46two states but we've been
24:48reporting even yesterday
24:49that the best practices
24:51advised by who by cdc by
24:54the american society of
24:55pediatrics they all say
24:57that kids below six years
24:59of age do not need cough
25:01syrup it does nothing to
25:03them it damages them even
25:04more so while this advisory
25:07is welcome i really want to
25:09understand why doctors are
25:10still prescribing it even in
25:11the government setups no so
25:14that again the introspection
25:15needs to be done at all levels
25:17so if you ask me the ground
25:20reality if you ask me as a
25:22doctor i'm a mother and i told
25:24you my case scenario but as a
25:25doctor if i write only one
25:27medicine they'll tell me you
25:29doctor toh dawai nahi likta
25:30hai madam antibiotic toh
25:32dehi do zukhaam khansi hai
25:33toh i would give one
25:34probably some anti-allergic
25:36which will decrease the
25:37phlegm production they would
25:37say khansi ka dawai nahi
25:39likha apne so it has to be
25:41on both sides doctors need
25:43to introspect and the
25:44patients need to trust the
25:46process and be patient for
25:48at least seven to ten days
25:49that the viral or whatever
25:51cold cough has happened to
25:53the child will take one to
25:54two weeks for them to recover
25:55but patience has to be there
25:58we cannot quick fix your
25:59child's cough and cold in
26:01two days with any medicine
26:02it is just a placebo effect
26:04you as parent are thinking
26:05mein kuch toh dawai de raha
26:07hun so the effect will come
26:08in a couple of days the
26:10effect will still come even
26:11if you do not give these
26:13cough syrups see cough syrups
26:14have so many you know one
26:16is a suppressant another is
26:17a mucolytic another suppresses
26:19at throat ka level just
26:21suits the throat so there are
26:22so many you know branches to
26:25type of cough syrups too
26:26mostly jo cough syrups
26:28ham deete hain and jadu ki
26:29tare effect aata hai de
26:30suppress your respiratory
26:31center it suppresses the
26:33cough reflex as well which
26:35is a protective reflex why
26:36do you want to suppress it
26:37why do you want the cough to
26:39go in one day what is cough
26:40trying to do whatever the
26:42phlegm or obstruction is
26:43there in child's airway the
26:45cough is trying to release it
26:46or take it out of the
26:47system why do you want to
26:48suppress it so i think we
26:50need to rethink about how
26:53we are you know treating
26:54our kids both at the level
26:55of a parent as a parent and
26:57as a doctor as well hold on
27:00to that talk dr baradwaj let
27:01me quickly get a word from
27:02both milan and sharath then
27:03milan we saw that update
27:05coming in from the union
27:07health ministry finally after
27:09the death of 11 kids they
27:10seem to be having given an
27:13advisory which should actually
27:14be the norm i like dr
27:17baradwaj also said it's
27:18perhaps too late for them to
27:20even sending it across but
27:22does this mean that sale
27:25also will be impacted of
27:27these brands so far we knew
27:29that this particular brand was
27:31prohibited in rajasthan in
27:33madhya pradesh has that has
27:35ban on any of these drugs
27:37taken place at all
27:38well sonal the two medicines
27:45that we are talking about
27:46especially in the case of
27:47madhya pradesh is cold drift and
27:49the other one is next row dx and
27:52they contain a separate salt this
27:54is not dextrometho fan it's a
27:56separate salt altogether which
27:58also contains you know generic
28:00salts and a mixture of that so
28:03yes the government has banned
28:05them as a precautionary measure but
28:07i think what the doctor was saying
28:08is clearly the norm that should be
28:11and is now being given as an
28:12advisory children less than age of
28:15five should not be administered
28:17cough syrups at nauseam there should
28:20be a you know analysis done and
28:22diagnosis has to be done properly
28:24because obviously all the cough
28:26syrups they contain certain kind of
28:28chemical solvents etc that could cause
28:32kidney injuries even in the case of
28:33cold drift it has been mentioned in the
28:36medicine as well that the dosage of the
28:38medicine should be lesser and we have to
28:41investigate whether these doctors were
28:43quacks or not qualified enough and
28:46chindwara happens to be a very rural
28:48area in madhya pradesh how was these
28:50medicines prescribed to these you know
28:53unsuspecting parents and of course
28:55parents also needs to be sensitized as
28:58to not admit to not give their children
29:00cough syrups whenever they fall sick
29:02immediately but certainly the government
29:04also needs to ban pharma companies as
29:07well as ban raw material suppliers
29:09suppliers who give these kind of you
29:12know cough syrups in the market there and
29:14owners should be put on the state drug
29:17controller authority as well as the
29:18central drug controller authority let me get a
29:20quick word from sharath as well sharath ji
29:22We have 4 days ago, we are constantly showing this news.
29:27The government finally came out with action.
29:30In the government, they had a doctor and a pharmacist.
29:34But beyond that, there is no further ado.
29:38One thing happened is an awareness campaign,
29:40which we have already done in India Today.
29:42We don't have to give 6-year-old children to 6-year-old children.
29:45You please ask the doctor,
29:47do not administer your chemists,
29:49but besides, the whole set-up,
29:54the rest of the health minister,
29:55the rest of the senior officials,
29:57are still running away from this question.
30:00In the sense of this, there is no other issue?
30:07The next question is,
30:10the hinterland,
30:13the grammar area,
30:16the Alzheimer's and Medivrayal government,
30:19this is a state of the region.
30:21We have a community health community,
30:23the pharmasists who are friends,
30:24who are involved in the hospital,
30:25also the health care facility,
30:26the nurses,
30:28and the doctors have changed.
30:29जैसलमेर से लेकर जैपूर तक, आप देखिएगा कि वहाँ पर फार्मासिस्ट ही नहीं है, डॉक्टर ही नहीं है, CHO Community Health Officer जो होते हैं, होमियोपेद के, आयरवेद के, डेंटिस्ट कहीं हैं, जो जिनरल नर्सिंग अंड मिड्वाइफरी हैं, वो निकालके ये जो परतिबं�
30:59जो डिरेक्टर है यहाँ पर रवी शर्मा उनको दिखाया, कि आप देखिए, आपके डॉक्टर ने लिखा cold syrup, अब cold syrup में तो वो जो compounder बैठा है, वहाँ कोई फरमासिस्ट है, नहीं कुछ भी निकालके दे देगा, हमने दिखाया उनको किस तरह से आपका CHO, जो होमियोप
31:29इननोंने कहा कि हम डेन्टिस्ट हैं, हम दें नहीं सकते हैं, हमके नाप बिल्कुल दे सकती हैं, डॉक्टर हैं, लेकिन आप यहाँ पर डॉक्टर हो तो ज� performance बेहतर रहता हैं
31:38foreign
31:52foreign
31:56foreign
32:00foreign
32:06foreign
32:08doctor said that the doctor was eating roti, the pharmacist gave the doctor to the doctor
32:14because the doctor was getting out of it and the doctor was getting out of it and the doctor was getting out of it.
32:18Now, the report is so significant that the government has been out of it.
32:21So this is why they are running out of it.
32:23There is no answer to this question.
32:53And you as well.
32:56Thank you so much for bringing us all those details.
32:58But, you know, here's the story.
33:00The outrage over contaminated cough syrups in children's death is loud but often short-lived.
33:06India's so-called killer cough syrups have made headlines across the world.
33:11Two Indian pharma companies stand accused of exposing contaminated syrups that killed kids even abroad.
33:18Yet, back home, they continue to be doing business.
33:22Almost as if nothing happened.
33:24Take the Maiden Pharmaceuticals based out of Haryana, for instance.
33:28The company exported cough syrups to Gambia, where later links of deaths came out of at least 70 kids who died.
33:38The WHO raised a global alarm over these toxic solvents and serious quality lapses.
33:43But in India, Maiden Pharma was given a clean chit.
33:47No penalty was imposed.
33:49And the company continues its business as usual.
33:52Then, there is the cases of Marion Biotech, operating out of Delhi NCR.
33:57Its syrups exported to Uzbekistan were linked to 65 deaths of children.
34:03Authorities suspended the company's license after finding documentation failures and later cancelled it as well.
34:10An FIR was filed.
34:11Some employees were arrested.
34:12But once again, the business still runs through its other divisions.
34:17And here lies the bigger problem.
34:20Export violations routinely slip through regulatory cracks.
34:24Domestic agencies stop monitoring once the drug leaves Indian shores.
34:28When deaths happen abroad, jurisdictional loopholes shield companies from even prosecution back at home.
34:35The harshest action usually stops at suspending licenses.
34:41Rarely any criminal charges are attached.
34:45In many cases, it is the raw material supplies and the suppliers who are penalized,
34:51while the big pharma companies escape with their reputation dented,
34:56but their business pretty much intact.
35:00That's the problem.
35:01That's the heart of the issue that we need to address.
35:04And no advisory from the government is going to bring an end to this pharma menace that we've got our eyes on.
35:13The sudden and tragic death of beloved singer and youth icon of one's sorts in the Northeast,
35:20Zubin Garg, has left Assam and his fans around the world in deep sorrow.
35:24As Probe continues to intensify to identify the events leading up to his death and reveal the exact cause,
35:31let's take a look at the key events that have actually unfolded since that heartbreaking day.
35:38So what happened?
35:39It all started on September 19th.
35:41Zubin Garg died during a yacht, it was a yacht outing of sorts, if you can call it, in Singapore.
35:49The initial cause of death was declared as drowning.
35:53In response, Assam quickly declared three days of state mourning to honor the legendary singer
35:59and his immense contribution to music and otherwise as well.
36:03By September 22nd, with some questions emerging around the circumstances of his death,
36:10the Assam government ordered a second post-mortem on Zubin's body to ensure a thorough investigation.
36:16His wife, of course, said yes and it was done.
36:19On the 23rd then, Zubin Garg's final rites were held with full state honors.
36:25Thousands of fans, friends, well-wishers came together to pay their last respect
36:30during the funeral procession, making a poignant moment of collective grief.
36:36In fact, reports go on to say that a congregation of that sort,
36:40so many people didn't even get together when we had icons like Lata Mangeshkar pass out.
36:45It's been compared to how people and the number of people who got together
36:50being compared to what happened during the Jackson time and otherwise.
36:53So it's a massive gathering.
36:55And that's when a lot of flip seems to have happened.
36:58Then the case took a more serious turn.
37:01On September 24th, a special investigation team on an SIT was formed
37:05to look deeper into the circumstances surrounding his death.
37:09The very next day, the CID concluded and raids were carried out
37:14at the homes of Zubin's manager, Siddhartha Sharma,
37:17and the festival organizer, Shamakanu Mahanta.
37:21The SIT and the CID continued their investigation over the next few days.
37:25And two days later, in fact, just about two days ago from now, actually,
37:30on the 1st of October, both Siddhartha and Mahanta were arrested by the Assam police.
37:37They were also charged with murder and sent to 14 days of custody.
37:40You see how quickly they managed to whip up evidence,
37:43how quickly they managed to investigate and put things in order,
37:47enough to sort of put them in custody altogether.
37:49And then the probe expanded further yesterday,
37:53when the singer Mahanta and the musician there, Shekhar Goswami,
37:57were also arrested and grilled by the SIT for seven hours.
38:02And now, the Singapore police has handed over Zubin Garh's autopsy report to India
38:08and confirmed their full cooperation with the investigation.
38:11Authorities here are now widening the probe and pursuing the murder charges.
38:16So far, it was just an unfortunate death.
38:19Now, it's a full-fledged alleged murder.
38:23This remains very sensitive and a complex case.
38:26And it continues to unfold every day.
38:29Zubin Garh's wife, Garima, in an exclusive interview to India Today,
38:33also spoke about his death and raised some disturbing questions about negligence
38:38and that she believes what exactly led to his passing.
38:42She says that Zubin was visibly exhausted that day.
38:45He had a medical condition.
38:47Doctors had warned him.
38:48No water, no fire, no driving as well.
38:51And yet, he was taken to that yacht party.
38:54What looked like a yacht party.
38:55Those videos are everywhere.
38:57Now, we'll play them up for you also in a bit.
38:58And he was allowed to swim.
39:01She says, allowed to swim without a life jacket.
39:04But in the videos, if you see, he jumped in twice.
39:06Once with the life jacket, once without.
39:08Now, Garima is, of course, heartbroken and angry.
39:11She goes on to say,
39:12why was my husband treated like this?
39:15She also asks, adding that there were no medical help, no security,
39:19and that such negligence is just unforgivable.
39:23As the investigation deepens, so do the questions.
39:26And so does the grief.
39:28But how much of it is actually true?
39:31Is it getting politicized in any way?
39:33Is the fact that there are so many young people affected by the story,
39:38that there are different colors that could be given to it?
39:40We'll explore all of that.
39:42Let me bring on my colleague next on the program.
39:45With me is now Kaushik.
39:47He's executive editor for India Today magazine.
39:49Kaushik, just help us unpack the story, please.
39:52On day one, when we reported about the story,
39:54and that's the video we're talking about,
39:56the first jump he made was with the life jacket,
39:58the other one without it.
39:59It was a simple case of drowning.
40:01How has this simple case of drowning now in a matter of just a week or so
40:07turned into a full-fledged alleged murder?
40:11Ever since he died, when the news came to Assam,
40:15most people in Assam, they were demanding an investigation into his death
40:19because their primary allegation was that why Jubin was taken to Singapore,
40:24knowing that for last two, three years, he was very unwell.
40:27He was in and out of hospital.
40:28So in that context, why he was taken abroad and allowed to perform
40:32and then he was taken to water?
40:35Because as Garima has mentioned,
40:37doctors had said that he should not go near water, fire,
40:41and he should not drive because he was having seizures.
40:43That there had been some five, six episodes of seizure.
40:46It's in public domain.
40:47So what Garima yesterday said,
40:50most people in Assam, they are saying the same thing.
40:53So it was a part of negligence on the part of the people who organized the event,
40:57that's Shyamkanu Mohanta,
40:58and the people who took him to the yacht.
41:01That has been the primary demand.
41:03So the government initiated investigation.
41:05Right in the very beginning, the CM took initiative
41:08and it was decided that an SID was formed
41:12and they asked for the autopsy report from Singapore.
41:16In fact, when the people in Assam,
41:18they said that the autopsy report in Singapore would not do,
41:21there should be an autopsy done in Guwahati itself.
41:24So his cremation was delayed by a day
41:27and autopsy was conducted.
41:29Do we know what did that autopsy say?
41:31Did it infer?
41:33No, not yet.
41:33It hasn't been made public.
41:35There had been some social media post of that Singapore autopsy
41:39which said that it's a case of drowning.
41:41Unofficial sources when I conducted Singapore people,
41:45most of them have said that it's a case of drowning.
41:48But the autopsy happened a few days ago.
41:49So they should be able to make it public, no?
41:51Yes, they should be able to.
41:52But it would be sent to the government
41:54and it will be made public probably soon.
41:56So the curious case is that the day
41:58the autopsy report was handed over to Indian government,
42:02that very day, the government slapped murder charges
42:05on Shyamkanu Mohanta and Siddharth Sharma
42:08because before that it was culpable homicide
42:10not amounting to murder, causing death by negligence,
42:13which most people in Assam were saying.
42:15But now there have been a speculation that there could have been
42:22a kind of conspiracy to take Juvian to water knowing that he is unwell
42:26and could have been a conspiracy behind which is now speculated as murder.
42:31But all these things should be very clear once the investigation is complete.
42:34It would be very unfair on our part to make any judgment
42:38because we have seen in the past.
42:40But I can tell you, many people can ask why the government is taking this action,
42:44why government is thinking that it's a murder
42:46when probably it was a clear case of drowning.
42:50I believe what has happened in the past in our neighborhood,
42:54say for instance in Bangladesh and in Nepal,
42:57the Jainji generation, Jubeen was called a heartthrob in Assam
43:01and he had tremendous following among the Jainji.
43:04The moment the Jainji is agitated,
43:06so no government would take any risk with the sentiments.
43:08So I believe the government is taking the right part.
43:11It has initiated an investigation so that there is a clear understanding
43:17of what exactly had happened
43:18and the government can respond to the public sentiment
43:21that it's fulfilling their demands,
43:25that there is a clear investigation into it.
43:27I think that's the key.
43:28You seem to be suggesting that government has taken the public sentiment in might
43:33and that's why a thorough investigation is being carried out.
43:36But how much of it is actually truth or not?
43:38Because I'm not seeing any reports out in public.
43:40Let me bring on Rajoy Das, who joins us, my colleague from Guwahati.
43:46Rajoy, what exactly is the status of this second autopsy?
43:50What does it say compared to what Singapore said?
43:53Because that is pretty conclusive so far, right?
43:56That they said it's no foul play, it's a clear case of drowning.
44:01And what is the Indian autopsy report saying?
44:04And importantly, why is it still under wraps?
44:06Yeah, so as far sources, what we are getting is that the autopsy report from Singapore
44:13has shown no case of foul play.
44:15And the Indian autopsy, the second autopsy, which has been done on September,
44:20after just hours before the cremation of Zubingarg,
44:24this autopsy report is also, the government is also trying to find out
44:29if there is any foul play.
44:30But the autopsy report is not showing any kind of sign of foul play yet.
44:34But we cannot confirm this until and unless a valid report comes out.
44:40But there are no foul play as per now.
44:43And Zubingarg reported it died because of drowning.
44:47And also, the latest development that we are getting is that
44:51Shiddharth Goswami, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, sorry,
44:57the drummer of Zubingarg and Amrit Prabha Mohanto has been arrested by CID.
45:03And they have been produced in a special court
45:07where they are given 14-day judicial custody.
45:10And the most important part is that the thing that we are getting is that
45:14Amrit Prabha was the one who was, she was releasing the videos
45:19of Zubingarg's last moments in social media.
45:22So these are the all details that we are getting as of now.
45:24So, Rejoy, importantly, you were saying even the Indian autopsy report
45:30that happened, you were saying it has not found any foul play.
45:35So I'm trying to understand on what basis are these arrests being made?
45:39What is the basis? What is the evidence?
45:42They took just about two days to make a lot of these arrests.
45:45Four people have been arrested.
45:46Two autopsies have been done.
45:48But do we know any linkage?
45:50Do we know any connection?
45:52Any evidence at all?
45:53See, many things are clouded in this case.
45:57But the CID and SIT has imposed some sections of the BNS
46:01for murder charges against the four arrested.
46:04And they will be, they are, as you know,
46:07they are being produced in the special court
46:09where they are given 14 days judicial remand.
46:12And the thing that is very interesting is that
46:16the CID has already questioned the drummer,
46:18Shekhar Jyoti Goswami, initially.
46:20But he was then, he was let go.
46:23But now he has been arrested again.
46:25So there are a few things which are still clouded.
46:28But we are trying to get down and we are trying to get the details
46:31as soon as possible for our viewers.
46:32All right.
46:34Kaushik, let me come back to you then.
46:36You see, you see the dilemma?
46:38No evidence, no autopsy report.
46:40We don't even know why the connections.
46:42But four arrests.
46:44Is this, so the question is very simple.
46:46Are we trying to just cater into a public sentiment?
46:50Is the government doing that?
46:52If not, and this is just in the realm of speculation, of course,
46:56if not, then they should be able to put out the evidence.
46:58No, why are they hiding it?
47:00Why is autopsy report also not out?
47:03No, the government is not hiding the autopsy report from Singapore came yesterday.
47:07I believe that has been handed over to Garima.
47:10And that should be made public, of course.
47:12And the autopsy report from the Guwahati Medical College,
47:15I believe it hasn't come yet.
47:17I believe the Assam CM is making a statement at 6 p.m. today.
47:25And the whole investigation, the whole process, as I have mentioned,
47:29is to not leave anything to the realm of speculation
47:34so that the public sentiment is satisfied.
47:36And nobody can question the establishment that it's trying to shield anyone
47:41which have been found not guilty but accused of doing something wrong to Jubin.
47:50And perhaps after Garima made that serious allegation that she suspects foul play,
47:55it's very important for the government to cater to her sentiment and to public sentiment.
48:00Because things can go haywire, as I mentioned that when Genji is involved,
48:04every politician is very cautious these days.
48:06Absolutely.
48:07But Kaushik, explain one more thing to me.
48:10Zubin's wife has had a back and forth a little bit on her understanding of the manager's role here.
48:17Could you just spell that out for us as well?
48:19Because that's also a little dubious.
48:21Yeah, it was very surprising.
48:23Initially, she had made an appeal to people that please do not harm Siddharth
48:29and please let him come to take part in the funeral.
48:32And then later, as yesterday to our interview,
48:35she said that she suspects foul play and she mentions almost everyone involved in the yacht
48:41and those who accompanied Jubin to that place.
48:44Maybe over a period of time from the time she made that appeal to now,
48:48she probably has got hold of some information or she found details of financial transactions
48:57or something more.
48:58Maybe that's why she is making all these allegations and she is expecting the government
49:02and the police forces to do a clean investigation into his debt.
49:06She probably wants a closure because lots of videos are coming.
49:09The account that she gave that she was not allowed to see Jubin over video and all those things.
49:15Now that she has got into a sense or there is some calm around
49:22because she was surrounded by too many people at that time.
49:25So probably in a relaxed environment, she is now piecing together all the puzzles.
49:31Well, here's hoping that justice comes out real quick.
49:35Like we've been saying, for arrests have been made, to autopsies have been done,
49:38but there's no clarity, there's no link, there's no evidence that has been put out.
49:42We really want to know what that is all about.
49:44And at the end of the day, what anybody wants is a clean investigation to understand,
49:49not pandering to one thought or a process or not pandering even to the public,
49:53but to understand the truth, nothing but the truth.
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