Cough syrup tragedy: Sresan Pharma owner S Ranganathan arrested in Chennai after child deaths in Madhya Pradesh

He was arrested in the Ashok Nagar area of Chennai after the Madhya Pradesh police initiated a joint operation with the Tamil Nadu police

S Ranganathan, owner of the Tamil Nadu-based pharmaceuticals company Sresan Pharma, has been arrested from Chennai amid cough syrup-linked child deaths in Madhya Pradesh.

Ranganathan was arrested after the Madhya Pradesh Police sent a team to the city and to Kanchipuram, according to a report by CNN-News18. He was arrested in the Ashok Nagar area of Chennai after the Madhya Pradesh police initiated a joint operation with the Tamil Nadu police.

Sresan Pharmaceuticals has been identified as the manufacturer of the cough syrup ‘Coldrif’, which is alleged to have caused several deaths. Following his arrest, Ranganathan is likely to be taken to the company’s Kanchipuram facility for further investigation, sources told CNN-News18.

According to the details of Ranganathan’s arrest accessed by the outlet, the Madhya Pradesh police had arrived in the city after a case was registered under Sections 105 and 276 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the 27A Act.

Chhindwara SP Ajay Pandey told ANI that Ranganathan will be presented before the Chennai court and will be brought to Chhindwara after securing transit remand.

Cough syrup deaths in Madhya Pradesh

20 children have reportedly died in Madhya Pradesh, pushing the state into a major health crisis allegedly caused by the consumption of Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharma.

"20 children have lost their lives in the unfortunate incident from Chhindwara, Betul and Pandhurna districts. The state government is quite strict. The police teams from Chhindwara have reached Chennai and Kanchipuram to arrest the owner of Coldrif manufacturing company and strict action is being taken into the matter," Madhya Pradesh deputy chief minister and health minister Rajendra Shukla had told reporters earlier.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Mohan Yadav directed that along with banning the sale of Coldrif syrup, the existing stock in shops should be seized.