Bhopal/Chhindwara, Oct 9: The death toll from the toxic Coldrif cough syrup tragedy in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district has risen to 22, following the death of five-year-old Mayank Suryavanshi.
Mayank, a resident of Khajri Antu village, was admitted to a hospital in Nagpur in critical condition and succumbed late Wednesday night to suspected kidney failure. Officials confirmed that Mayank’s death is linked to the consumption of Coldrif, a cough syrup manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals. The syrup has been found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic industrial solvent that can cause acute kidney damage and death, especially in children. The tragedy has triggered a massive investigation and public outcry. The Madhya Pradesh Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the deaths and have arrested Sresan Pharma’s owner, Ranganathan Govindrajan, from Chennai. The drug manufacturing unit in Kanchipuram has been sealed, and authorities are working to obtain transit remand to bring Govindan to Chhindwara for further interrogation. In response to the mounting fatalities, the Madhya Pradesh government has suspended two drug inspectors and a deputy director of the Food and Drug Administration. The state’s drug controller has also been transferred.