Hyderabad: The death of four infants in Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh on Sunday (Nov 21, 2004) a day after being administered polio vaccination has triggered panic even as the district administration denied that the deaths were linked to polio drops.

While parents of four children - R Ramana, Lakshmi, Rukmini and Swathi-have alleged that they died due to complications a day after being administered polio drops, the district collector Rajendra Narendra Nimje categorically denied the charge and attributed the deaths to other health problems.

"Let me say categorically that the deaths had nothing to do with polio drops. There is no need for panic," the collector said when contacted.

The district medical and health officer Dr R Krishna Brahmam said that it was only a coincidence that the deaths occurred a day after the infants, aged between 10 days and two years, were given polio drops.

He said that the deaths were caused by pneumonia, intestinal disorder and other pre-existing diseases.

Meanwhile, the local media quoted the victims' parents as having alleged that the infants had died due to complications after being given polio doses.