Madhya Pradesh Doctor Arrested Over Prescription of ‘Toxic’ Cough Syrup Following Death of 14 Children

Madhya Pradesh Doctor Arrested After 14 Children Die from Allegedly Toxic Cough Syrup.

Amid an ongoing investigation into the deaths of children linked to cough syrup consumption in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, authorities have arrested Dr. Praveen Soni following the filing of an FIR against him. The case revolves around 14 child fatalities allegedly caused by ColdRif cough syrup, which Dr. Soni is accused of prescribing illegally.

Legal Action and Charges

A complaint has been lodged against Sresan Pharmaceuticals and Dr. Soni under BNS 276, BNS 105, and Section 27A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act for their alleged roles in the tragedy.

Findings from Preliminary Investigation

District Magistrate Harendra Narayan disclosed that preliminary tests revealed alarming results.

“The substance in the syrup, which should have been within a 1% limit, contained 48.6%, making it highly toxic. Such levels are dangerous not only for children but even for adults.”

He explained that children’s health deteriorated rapidly, with acute kidney failure observed. Four renal biopsies confirmed that the damage was far beyond normal levels, directly linked to the toxic substance in the syrup. Narayan added that post-mortems were unlikely to reveal additional information, as the cause of death has already been established.

Compensation Announced

In response to the tragedy, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for each affected family. Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath demanded higher compensation, proposing Rs 50 lakh per family, arguing that the current amount was insufficient given the scale of the tragedy.

Broader Impact

The incident is not limited to Madhya Pradesh. A total of 18 children have died across two states in connection with the cough syrup:

• Madhya Pradesh (Chhindwara): 14 deaths
• Rajasthan: Sikar – 1, Bharatpur – 2, Churu – 1

Authorities continue to investigate the full extent of the toxic syrup distribution and are taking strict legal action against those responsible, including the doctor and the pharmaceutical company.

This tragic incident has raised urgent concerns about drug safety regulations and the need for strict monitoring to prevent similar occurrences in the future.