BHOPAL/NEW DELHI—A nationwide alert has been issued and authorities have escalated investigations following the confirmed contamination of a paediatric cough syrup, Coldrif, linked to the deaths of at least 14 children in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. The fatalities, spanning over a month and primarily affecting children under the age of five with symptoms of acute kidney failure, have triggered a swift and multi-pronged regulatory and criminal response.
Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of a dangerously high concentration of the toxic industrial chemical, Diethylene Glycol (DEG), in samples of the Coldrif syrup, which was manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals in Tamil Nadu. One report from the Tamil Nadu drug regulator showed a shocking 48.6 per cent Diethylene Glycol content, a substance used in antifreeze and brake fluids that is deadly when ingested.
The state government of Madhya Pradesh has immediately banned the sale and distribution of Coldrif and all other products from Sresan Pharmaceuticals, initiating a mass campaign to seize remaining stocks from shops and even recover bottles from households.
In a major development, police have arrested Dr. Praveen Soni, a local paediatrician in Parasia, Chhindwara, who allegedly prescribed the contaminated syrup to most of the affected children. He has been suspended from his government post and booked for negligence. An FIR has also been filed against the directors and operators of Sresan Pharmaceuticals under multiple sections of the law, including those pertaining to adulteration and culpable homicide.
The tragedy has prompted the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to launch a risk-based inspection campaign targeting drug manufacturing units in six states—Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra—with a focus on companies producing cough syrups, antipyretics, and antibiotics. This domestic crisis comes as Indian-made cough syrups have faced global scrutiny following similar DEG contamination incidents in countries like Gambia and Uzbekistan in recent years.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also taken cognizance of the matter, issuing notices to the governments of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, along with the Drug Controller General, demanding a comprehensive investigation into the supply of spurious drugs and immediate action to ensure drug safety. Authorities continue to trace the supply chain of the toxic batch as a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the case.
