NEW DELHI - Authorities in two Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have initiated a probe as eight children died after allegedly consuming contaminated cough syrups supplied by the government, officials said Thursday.

While six children died in Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara district due to kidney failure in the past 15 days, two child deaths have been reported in Rajasthan.

Authorities have found that two specific cough syrups were common in all the cases and have restricted their sale and use.

Samples of these syrups have been sent for testing.

Toxic cough syrups manufactured in India have caused deaths in the past.