A tragic incident involving contaminated cough syrup, ‘Coldrif,’ has seen the death toll rise to 22 in Madhya Pradesh. This week, two more children from the Chhindwara district tragically passed away while receiving treatment in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
Investigations by drug control authorities in both Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu revealed that ‘Coldrif,’ manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceuticals in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, was dangerously adulterated. It contained over 45% diethylene glycol, a highly toxic industrial solvent, which has been directly linked to these fatalities.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has voiced serious concerns, alleging a lack of cooperation from Tamil Nadu authorities in the ongoing investigation. He emphasized, “Our police have made arrests at the manufacturing site, but the Tamil Nadu government is not providing the necessary assistance. The Tamil Nadu Drug Controller must initiate a thorough regulatory investigation into the pharmaceutical company involved.”
छिंदवाड़ा में अमानक कफ सिरप से हुई बच्चों की दुखद मृत्यु की घटना की जांच के लिए एसआईटी का गठन किया गया है। प्रदेश की पुलिस ने तत्परता दिखाते हुए तमिलनाडु से दवा निर्माता कंपनी के मालिक को गिरफ्तार किया है। यह हमारी सरकार की संवेदनशीलता का स्पष्ट प्रमाण है।
दोषियों को किसी भी…
— Chief Minister, MP (@CMMadhyaPradesh) October 9, 2025
Additional Collector Dhirendra Singh confirmed that the two recent child deaths from Chhindwara’s Parasia block are suspected to be due to renal failure. He stated, “We are diligently verifying their medical records to officially confirm the causes of these deaths.”
The victims include two children from Betul, one from Pandhurna, and nineteen from Chhindwara. Currently, three other children who allegedly consumed the same syrup remain in critical condition and are undergoing treatment in Nagpur.
During his visit to the affected children in Nagpur, Chief Minister Yadav sharply questioned the licensing procedures for pharmaceutical companies in Tamil Nadu. He highlighted that the investigation points to significant issues within the manufacturing process itself.
“Who was responsible for granting this company a drug license?” he demanded. “Questions need to be raised about how such a factory operated in a confined space. How was the license renewed without proper inspection? And how was this pharmaceutical company granted an industry license in the first place?”
Chhindwara Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajay Pandey confirmed the arrest of G. Ranganathan, the proprietor of Sresan Pharmaceuticals. He was apprehended at his Chennai residence by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) from the Madhya Pradesh Police, working in conjunction with local authorities.
“We have seized crucial documents related to his company’s ownership and operations,” SP Pandey noted. “We are currently interrogating him, and based on our findings, we anticipate identifying more individuals involved.”
The six-member SIT, still in Tamil Nadu, is preparing to seek a transit remand for Mr. Ranganathan to continue the investigation, SP Pandey added.