At least 17 kids in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara area have died after taking Coldrif cough syrup, which is made by Sresan Pharmaceuticals. Lab tests showed amounts of diethylene glycol (DEG), an industrial chemical that is harmful to the kidneys, that were much higher than what is allowed.
Officer Arrested: S. Ranganathan in Police Custody
In connection with the deaths, S. Ranganathan, the owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, has been jailed. His arrest came after a large-scale probe into how the poisonous cough syrup was made, distributed, and checked for quality. Reports also say that as part of gathering proof, police took important papers from the factory and the owner’s home.
Regulatory Action: FIRs, Bans, and Seizures
Because of this, Madhya Pradesh has banned all Sresan Pharma goods, including Coldrif, from being sold, given away, or stored. The FDA in the state froze 433 bottles and tracked down 222 bottles that had already been sold. In the meantime, Tamil Nadu and a number of other states have stopped giving out Coldrif and sent Sresan a “show-cause” letter. Both the company that made the drug and a doctor who was linked to it have been charged with carelessness and manslaughter.
Oversight Gaps: What Went Wrong with Drug Controls
Regulators now say that there were major problems with the quality tests. It was found that some batches did not have the usual checks done on the raw materials or finished goods. The national drug regulator said that several drug companies were not following the rules, mainly when it came to cough syrups for kids. Many children died in the Gambia and Central Asia because of syrups made in India, and the Coldrif event was on a large scale.
Everyone in the chain is responsible
Along with the manufacturer, a government doctor in Chhindwara was also arrested on charges of not following proper procedures when giving the syrup. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is speaking out against unfairly blaming doctors who may have done what was expected of them. Political responses sped up: One opposition group wants ₹1 crore in compensation for each family that was hurt, saying that the government was very careless.
What to do next and bigger effects
Madhya Pradesh’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been sent to Tamil Nadu to learn more about Sresan’s activities. Some kids’ bodies were dug up so that new autopsies could be done on them. This was done to improve the forensic proof. Emergency drives are being held in many Indian states to test samples of cough syrup. The central government is thinking about whether to take away Sresan’s license to make things completely.
People are less sure about the safety of medicines, especially drugs given to children, after the tragedy. As more information comes out, the country is closely watching to see if justice, tighter rules, and preventative changes happen next.
