Chhindwara, Oct 5 — Police in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district have arrested Dr. Praveen Soni and registered a case against Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals after 11 children died allegedly from consuming a toxic batch of “Coldrif” cough syrup.
The investigation revealed that the syrup contained diethylene glycol at 48 per cent, far exceeding the permissible limit of 0.1 per cent, leading to fatal kidney failure in the children. Most of the victims were from the Parasia area and had been treated for cough and cold symptoms.
Superintendent of Police Ajay Pandey confirmed Dr. Soni’s arrest and said the First Information Report (FIR) was lodged late Saturday at Parasia police station. He was arrested during a late-night raid from Rajpal Chowk in the Kotwali area by a special team.
“Based on the Block Medical Officer’s report, a case has been registered under Sections 105 and 276 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 27(A) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,” Pandey said.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the matter, including the role of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, which manufactured the Coldrif syrup in Tamil Nadu. The team will travel to the company’s production unit to examine the source and composition of the medicine.
Authorities said the Block Medical Officer’s findings were pivotal in establishing the link between the syrup and the deaths. Police are also scrutinizing prescription records and the supply chain to determine the level of negligence involved.
The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for stricter regulation of pharmaceutical manufacturing and paediatric drug prescriptions. Officials have assured that the investigation will be pursued thoroughly and all those responsible will face legal consequences.
