The Madhya Pradesh government has taken action following the death of 14 children in Chhindwara district due to suspected renal failure linked to the consumption of a "toxic" cough syrup. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Monday suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration, while also transferring the state's Drug Controller Dinesh Maurya, after reviewing the situation in a high-level meeting.
According to officials, the suspended drug inspectors are Gaurav Sharma and Sharad Kumar Jain, posted in Chhindwara and Jabalpur respectively. The suspended Deputy Director has been identified as Shobhit Costa. Later in the day, CM Yadav visited Parasia and met the families of the deceased children, assuring them of government support and a fair investigation.
What did the CM say?
Chief Minister Yadav said strict action will be taken against those responsible for the tragedy and made it clear that negligence of any kind would not be tolerated. He directed officials to confiscate all available stocks of the banned Coldrif cough syrup from shops and homes across Chhindwara and neighbouring districts. Yadav also instructed that the quality of other medicines sold in the area be rechecked to ensure safety.
"Strict action will be taken against those responsible for the tragic deaths of children, and no negligence will be tolerated," Yadav said during the meeting.
SIT formed, doctor arrested, manufacturer booked
Officials said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to probe the incident. Dr Praveen Soni from Chhindwara has been arrested for alleged negligence and an FIR has been registered against the Coldrif manufacturer, Sresan Pharmaceutical, based in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram. Preliminary lab results revealed that the syrup contained a highly toxic substance. Among the deceased, 11 children were from Parasia sub-division, two from Chhindwara city, and one from Chaurai tehsil. Eight other children are undergoing treatment in Nagpur -- four in a government hospital, one in AIIMS and three in private facilities.
Campaign to recover banned syrup
CM Yadav directed that all officials, including ASHA and USHA workers, assist in recovering the banned syrup from homes. He also ordered a campaign to ensure that all medicines carry proper warnings and precautionary labels.
The chief minister reminded officials that, as per medical regulations, combination drugs must not be prescribed to children under four years of age. “Doctors who violate this provision should be prosecuted,” he stated.
Centre and Tamil Nadu authorities alerted
The state government has informed the Tamil Nadu authorities about the case to initiate appropriate action against the manufacturer. The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) have joined the investigation.
Samples from affected patients were sent to a Pune laboratory for testing, while several medicine samples were collected and examined locally. District officials also held meetings with private doctors, chemists, and hospital authorities to discuss safety measures and prevent recurrence of such incidents.
Local ban and statewide inspections ordered
Following reports from the Tamil Nadu Drug Controller that Coldrif syrup samples were invalid, its sale has been banned across Madhya Pradesh. Local authorities in Chhindwara have also imposed a district-level ban and started inspecting hospitals and chemist shops. An FIR has been registered against the manufacturer, and the doctor who prescribed the syrup to most of the affected children has been suspended. CM Yadav, during his visit to Neuton Chikhli and Parasia Magazine Line, met the families of the victims and consoled them personally.
(With inputs from PTI)
