SIT set up in cough syrup-related deaths, case filed against company
A case has been registered against the Coldrif cough syrup manufacturing company, Sresan Pharmaceutical, Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu.
Madhya Pradesh police have registered a case against the manufacturer of Coldrif cough syrup as part of their probe into the deaths of 14 children in Chhindwara, suspected to be caused by renal failure linked to the contaminated medicine. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has also been constituted to investigate the matter thoroughly. Earlier, Dr Praveen Soni, a paediatrician from Parasia who also ran a private practice, was arrested in connection with the case.
Dr Soni was suspended from service and charged a day after Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced that strict action would be taken against those responsible. He and the pharmaceutical company have been booked under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 276 (adulteration of drugs) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They also face charges under Section 27A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which carries a punishment of over 10 years’ imprisonment or life imprisonment.
A 12-member SIT, led by Parasia Sub Divisional Officer of Police Jitendra Singh Jat, has been set up to lead the investigation. The team will travel to Tamil Nadu to inspect the pharmaceutical company’s operations, additional collector Dhirendra Singh said.
Body of Last Victim Exhumed
On Sunday, officials informed that the body of the last victim, two-year-old Yogita Thakre, was exhumed for post-mortem following a demand from her family. Dhirendra Singh added that the ex gratia amount of ₹4 lakh announced by CM Mohan Yadav has been transferred to the bank accounts of the victims’ families.
Also read: Cough syrup deaths: Govt tells states, UTs to enforce quality norms strictly
Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government has banned the sale of Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. Officials said laboratory tests detected the presence of diethylene glycol, a highly toxic substance “which may render the contents injurious to health,” according to a report by the Tamil Nadu drug control authorities.
Eight children are currently receiving treatment in Nagpur—four at a government hospital, one at AIIMS, and three in private facilities. In Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district, two additional deaths have been reported, allegedly linked to the consumption of Coldrif, health officials said on Sunday.
Also read: Cough syrup-linked deaths highlight need for better regulation
The Tamil Nadu government banned Coldrif on Friday following the Madhya Pradesh fatalities and at least three similar deaths in Rajasthan suspected to be caused by kidney infections. Samples from affected children have been sent to the National Institute of Virology in Pune, while further tests on the syrup’s adulteration and contamination are underway.
(With inputs from PTI)
