Cough Syrup Deaths: Sresan Pharma Owner Arrested In Chennai Amid Probe Into 20 Child Deaths in MP

The owner of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, S Ranganathan, was arrested in Chennai late on Wednesday in connection with the deaths of at least 20 children in Madhya Pradesh. The deaths have been linked to the consumption of ‘Coldrif’, a cough syrup manufactured by his company, which has plunged the state into a major public health crisis.A special team of the Madhya Pradesh Police had been dispatched to Chennai to apprehend Ranganathan.

After coordinating with local authorities, the team arrested him at his residence in the Ashok Nagar area. The arrest was made following the registration of an FIR against Ranganathan and his company under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including those related to the sale of adulterated drugs and culpable homicide.The tragedy unfolded in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, where medical investigations revealed that the ‘Coldrif’ syrup contained highly toxic chemicals.

These chemicals caused rapid and severe kidney damage in the children who consumed the syrup, leading to their deaths within hours. Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla assured that the government was taking all necessary steps to ensure justice and had confirmed the dispatch of the police team to make the arrest.

The crisis has triggered a nationwide response, with at least nine other states, including Punjab, Goa, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, announcing a ban on the sale of the controversial cough syrup. In Chhindwara, the local administration has sealed five medical stores and is conducting widespread public awareness campaigns, warning parents against administering any cough syrups to children.The incident has also sparked legal and professional repercussions.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored probe into the deaths and systemic reforms in India’s drug safety mechanisms. Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has expressed concern over the implication of doctors in the case, with some private practitioners, including Dr. Praveen Soni, now under scrutiny for prescribing the syrup.