Authorities in Madhya Pradesh have arrested a local doctor after 11 children reportedly died from consuming contaminated Coldrif cough syrup in Chhindwara district. The deaths, all involving children under five, have triggered widespread outrage and prompted the state government to impose an immediate ban on the sale and distribution of the syrup.
Doctor and pharma firm booked
The arrested doctor has been identified as Dr. Praveen Soni, who allegedly prescribed the Coldrif syrup to several young patients treated at his clinic in Parasia. Police have also registered an FIR against Sresan Pharmaceuticals, a Tamil Nadu–based drug manufacturer, which produced the syrup suspected to be the source of contamination.
According to the Times of India, the case was registered early Sunday at the Parasia police station in Chhindwara under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
Toxic contamination confirmed
Laboratory tests confirmed that samples of Coldrif syrup contained diethylene glycol (DEG) — a toxic chemical commonly used in antifreeze and brake fluids — at highly dangerous concentrations.
“The concentration of diethylene glycol was found to be over 48%, compared to the permissible limit of just 0.1%. The concentration is extremely dangerous,”
said DK Maurya, the state’s Drug Controller.
Authorities said the contaminated batch appears to have been distributed only in the Chhindwara area, though a state-wide alert has been issued to all drug inspectors to trace any further supplies.
Medical findings and government response
Chhindwara District Collector Sheelendra Singh confirmed that biopsy reports from the deceased children revealed severe kidney damage, consistent with DEG poisoning. “The toxic compound led to kidney failure in the affected children,” Singh said.
Following the incident, the Madhya Pradesh government officially banned the sale of Coldrif syrup across the state. The Tamil Nadu government — where the manufacturer is based — had also announced a ban on October 1, ordering an immediate market withdrawal after preliminary findings linked the product to child deaths in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, officials are awaiting test results for another syrup, Nexa DS, which is also under scrutiny.
Background on DEG poisoning in India
Diethylene glycol poisoning has caused several mass casualties in India over the decades, often due to poor quality control and contamination in pharmaceutical manufacturing. The compound can cause acute kidney injury, neurological complications, and death, even in small doses.
India’s drug regulatory system has faced global criticism in recent years following similar incidents, including the deaths of children linked to contaminated syrups exported to Gambia (2022) and Uzbekistan (2022).
Conclusion
The tragic deaths in Chhindwara have reignited concerns about pharmaceutical safety and regulatory oversight in India. Both the central and state drug controllers are now under pressure to strengthen monitoring systems and enforce stricter penalties for violations in drug manufacturing.