The same batch of syrup, manufactured in Tamil Nadu, has been linked to at least 12 child deaths across MP, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan
BY PC Bureau
October 5: A day after the deaths of 10 children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district were linked to toxic cough syrup, police arrested Dr. Praveen Soni, the physician who prescribed the medicine, late on Saturday night.
Earlier in the day, an FIR was registered against Dr. Soni and Sresun Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the cough syrup Coldrif, under Section 27(A) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Sections 105 and 276 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The complaint was lodged by Ankit Sahlam, Block Medical Officer of the Parasia Community Health Centre.
Investigations revealed that Dr. Soni had prescribed Coldrif syrup to most of the affected children. A forensic laboratory report released Friday confirmed that the syrup contained 48.6% Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a highly toxic chemical that can cause kidney failure and death if ingested.
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In response, the Madhya Pradesh government banned the sale and distribution of Coldrif syrup statewide, sealing all existing stocks and halting distribution. The ban has also been extended to other medicines manufactured by Sresun Pharmaceuticals.
The syrup was manufactured in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, and a report from the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Directorate on October 2 had already classified the same batch as “non-standard and defective (NSQ).” Tamil Nadu authorities had banned Coldrif on October 1 after preliminary investigations tied it to the deaths of at least 12 children — nine in Madhya Pradesh, two in Maharashtra, and one in Rajasthan.
Officials said the contamination made the medicine unsafe for human consumption and confirmed that further legal action would be pursued against the company and its distributors. The state government has also sought a detailed probe into the tragedy, which has triggered outrage among families and raised serious questions about pharmaceutical regulation and quality control.
