Madhya Pradesh Doctor Arrested For Prescribing ‘Toxic’ Cough Syrup After 14 Children Die
In a major development in the ongoing cough syrup tragedy, authorities in Madhya Pradesh have arrested Dr. Praveen Soni in Chhindwara for his alleged role in the deaths of 14 children. The children died after allegedly consuming a toxic cough syrup named ‘Coldrif’, which Dr. Soni had reportedly prescribed illegally. An FIR has been filed against both Dr. Soni and the manufacturer, Sresan Pharmaceuticals, under various sections of the law, including culpable homicide.
The investigation has uncovered shocking details about the lethal contamination of the syrup. Chhindwara District Magistrate Harendra Narayan revealed that lab tests showed a substance in the syrup at a concentration of 48.6%, vastly exceeding the permissible limit of 1%. “We are taking strict legal action… Such a high level would be dangerous not just for children, but even for adults,” Narayan told CNN-News18.
He explained that this extreme toxicity caused the children’s kidneys to fail with alarming speed, a finding confirmed by renal biopsies. “We know what medicines were given, and we know what caused the deaths,” he stated grimly.In response to the tragedy, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 4 lakh for the family of each deceased child.
However, this has drawn criticism from senior Congress leader and local MLA Kamal Nath, who demanded the government provide a higher compensation of Rs 50 lakh to each affected family.The crisis extends beyond a single district, with a total of 18 deaths now reported across two states. In addition to the 14 deaths in Chhindwara, four children have died in Rajasthan—one in Sikar, two in Bharatpur, and one in Churu—all linked to the consumption of contaminated cough syrup, turning this into a tragic, multi-state public health emergency.
