MP cough syrup row: Deadly batches ‘not properly tested’, CM Mohan Yadav admits lapses as death toll reaches 21

Coldrif cough syrup

The tragic cough syrup incident that began in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara has now spread to neighbouring districts. The state on Wednesday confirmed three more child deaths in Betul and Pandhurna, raising the total toll to 21.

Another death was reported in Chhindwara itself, while five children remain in critical condition in Nagpur.

Chhindwara alone has seen 18 deaths so far. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav admitted that lapses occurred, saying, “Chook se dukh hota hai,” and emphasised the need for better coordination among field officials to prevent such incidents.

Yadav also stressed on “collective responsibility”. “All should work towards serving the masses and I welcome constructive criticism from all quarters, be it the opposition, media or anyone else so that the system functions smoothly,” Yadav was quoted by TOI as saying.

Lapses in oversight and regulation

India’s top drug regulator has also acknowledged serious shortcomings in pharmaceutical manufacturing practices amid rising outrage over the child deaths. Officials noted that manufacturers were not testing every batch to ensure compliance with prescribed safety standards, both during production and in finished products.

All the affected children allegedly suffered from renal failure after consuming Coldrif cough syrup, which was found to contain 48.6% diethylene glycol (DEG), a highly toxic industrial chemical.

In a glimmer of hope, a one-year-old boy, Pratik Pawar, recovered from kidney failure and encephalopathy, returning home Wednesday. He was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nagpur. Pratik had been administered a different brand of cough syrup, unlike others who had consumed the toxic Coldrif.

Arrest of Tamil Nadu pharma company owner

Meanwhile, the owner of Sresan Pharma, the Tamil Nadu-based company that produced the contaminated Coldrif syrup, has been arrested, officials said on Thursday. Madhya Pradesh police took Ranganathan into custody in Chennai late Wednesday night. A case had previously been registered against the company in connection with the deaths in multiple states.