Tamil Nadu’s Health Minister, Ma. Subramanian, announced the suspension of two senior drug inspectors on Thursday, October 9, 2025. Their suspension comes after their failure to carry out mandatory quality checks on medications produced by Sresan Pharmaceuticals for the last two years.
Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the company behind ‘Coldrif’ cough syrup, is now under intense scrutiny. This particular syrup has been tragically linked to the deaths of several children in Madhya Pradesh. Investigations revealed that samples from batch number SR-13 were alarmingly contaminated.
Further tests conducted at the Government Drugs Testing Laboratory in Chennai on samples taken from the company’s manufacturing unit in Sunguvarchathiram, Kancheepuram district, confirmed the worst: the drugs were ‘not of standard quality’ and contained Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a highly toxic and dangerous substance.
Minister Subramanian clarified that Tamil Nadu’s Drugs Control Department initiated an immediate inspection on October 1, following an alert from Madhya Pradesh. Upon confirming the contamination, both Madhya Pradesh authorities and the Union Health Ministry were swiftly notified. Alerts were also dispatched to officials in Odisha and Puducherry, as distribution records indicated the syrup had reached these regions.
Manufacturer Arrested
He highlighted that while initial checks by Madhya Pradesh and the Union Health Ministry did not flag any issues, it was Tamil Nadu’s diligent testing that first identified the presence of DEG and precisely confirmed the extent of contamination. Consequently, a Stop Production Order was issued to Sresan Pharmaceuticals on October 3, promptly followed by a comprehensive closure order for the facility.
The owner of the manufacturing facility faced criminal proceedings, with a notice issued on October 7. As he couldn’t be located to receive it, the notice was publicly displayed at the premises. The Minister confirmed his subsequent arrest. The owner will be brought to the manufacturing site by a tahsildar for an inquiry to ascertain how the contamination occurred. His explanation will be crucial in deciding the permanent closure of the facility and the cancellation of its license within three days.
Accountability for Negligence
Emphasizing accountability, Minister Subramanian reiterated the suspension of two senior drug inspectors for their failure to conduct proper quality checks and monitoring at the facility over the last two years. He proudly noted that Tamil Nadu was instrumental in detecting the contamination and alerting other states. He added that the Tamil Nadu Medical Services Corporation does not procure this particular syrup, and its retail sales have been immediately halted. This swift intervention by Tamil Nadu has successfully averted potential tragedies in numerous other states.