In Chhindwara, a district in Madhya Pradesh, police have opened a criminal case after several children died after taking a cough syrup called Coldrif. The local police chief, Ajay Pandey, said the case now names Dr Pradeep Soni, the doctor who prescribed the medicine, and the makers of the drug, Sresan Pharmaceuticals from Tamil Nadu.
The investigation follows a report from the Bureau of Medical Officers (BMO). Authorities have filed charges under Section 105 and 276 of the Indian Penal Code, and under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Dr Soni treated the largest number of the affected children, and law‑enforcement officials say that the company is the main accused in the case. Soni is now in police custody.
Because of the deaths, the Madhya Pradesh government has banned the sale of Coldrif across the state. In the last month, 11 children in Chhindwara died from kidney failure after taking the cough syrup. The Ministry’s ban is intended to stop further harm.
The hospital in Chhindwara, run by Director Ritesh Agarwal, said it cannot yet identify the exact cause of the kidney damage. Some children were moved to a hospital in Nagpur. Those patients faced severe kidney problems – swelling, high creatinine, and a 24‑hour period without urine output – and are now on dialysis or receiving other treatments.
“Children from Chhindwara came to us with fever and then didn’t pass urine for a day,” Agarwal explained. “We did blood tests, saw elevated creatinine and urea, and then the kidneys were found swollen and not working, so we sent the child to a better facility.” The doctor added that multiple tests were performed to confirm the kidney damage before the child was transferred.
The investigation continues and authorities urge parents to avoid using Coldrif until the health agency’s final verdict. The drug’s safety is under scrutiny, and any new findings may lead to stricter controls or recalls in India.
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