Daijiworld Media Network – Chhindwara

Chhindwara, Oct 5: In the wake of the deaths of 11 children allegedly caused by contaminated Coldrif cough syrup, a doctor in Chhindwara has been arrested, officials said on Sunday. Most of the affected children had been treated at the clinic of Praveen Soni, a paediatrician in Parasia, who is a government doctor but also ran a private clinic.

The Madhya Pradesh government has filed a case against Srisan Pharmaceuticals, based in Tamil Nadu’s Kanchipuram district, which manufactured the syrup. Earlier tests revealed that samples of Coldrif contained 48.6% diethylene glycol, a highly toxic substance, and were declared “Not of Standard Quality” by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Drug Control. As a precaution, the administration also banned another syrup, Nextro-DS, while its test results are awaited.

Families recounted that children first exhibited mild cold and fever in early September and were prescribed routine medication, including cough syrups. While they initially seemed to recover, symptoms returned with reduced urine output, progressing into kidney infections that ultimately proved fatal. Kidney biopsies confirmed diethylene glycol contamination. Of the victims, 11 were from Parasia, two from Chhindwara city, and one from Chaurai.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav called the deaths “extremely tragic” and assured strict action. “The sale of this syrup has been banned across Madhya Pradesh. A ban is also being imposed on other products from the manufacturer. The investigation report has been received, and a state-level team has been formed. The guilty will not be spared,” he said on X.

The Coldrif syrup has also been banned in Rajasthan, which reported three similar deaths, as well as in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.