India's drug regulator suspended distribution of a disputed batch of the anti-rabies vaccine Abhayrab on Tuesday after quality-failure findings in Delhi, ordering a recall and further laboratory testing. The action followed the seizure of substandard vials by Delhi authorities.

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation coordinated with the Delhi Drugs Control Department to trace and quarantine the affected stock. Abhayrab, a widely used rabies vaccine in India's public immunisation programme, is manufactured under licence by Hyderabad-based Indian Immunologicals Limited.

Indian Immunologicals denied producing the low-quality vials found in Delhi and requested an independent investigation. The company said it had submitted its manufacturing and batch records to regulators and suggested the seized vials may have been counterfeit or diverted through unauthorised channels.

Rabies remains a serious public-health concern in India, which records thousands of deaths annually from the disease. Health ministry officials warned clinics and hospitals to verify batch numbers before administering doses and to report any adverse events or supply irregularities.

A spokesperson for Indian Immunologicals said the firm would cooperate fully with authorities. "We stand by the integrity of our manufacturing process and welcome a thorough, independent examination of these samples," the spokesperson said.