In the past 30 days, 11 children have lost their lives in Chhindwara alone due to kidney failure after consuming the contaminated syrup.
Published Oct 05, 2025 | 5:49 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 05, 2025 | 5:49 PM
Representational image. Credit: iStock
Synopsis: In Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara, Dr Praveen Soni was arrested for prescribing contaminated Coldrif cough syrup, linked to 11 child deaths from Diethylene Glycol poisoning causing acute kidney failure. The medical community decries it as “scapegoating” amid regulatory lapses, urging accountability for manufacturers Sresan Pharmaceuticals and drug inspectors. A nationwide health conference addresses cough syrup safety.
Authorities in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district arrested Dr Praveen Soni on Saturday night. Soni is the physician who prescribed contaminated Coldrif cough syrup linked to the deaths of 11 children.
The arrest has sparked outrage among the medical community, with doctors across the country calling it an example of “scapegoating” while the real culprits in the drug manufacturing and regulatory chain remain unpunished.
Police registered an FIR against Dr Soni and the operators of Sresan Pharmaceuticals – manufacturer of Coldrif syrup. The case has been filed under multiple sections including 105 BNS, 276 BNS, and Section 27(A) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, based on a complaint by Ankit Sahlam, Block Medical Officer of Parasia Community Health Centre.
Superintendent of Police Ajay Pandey confirmed the arrest, stating, “On the basis of the BMO report, a case was filed under the 105 BNS, 276 BNS, and 27 (A) Drug and Cosmetic Act. Dr Praveen Soni treated the maximum number of children in this matter. He had prescribed Coldrif… Based on this, he has been named an accused in this case. The manufacturing company, Sresan Pharmaceuticals of Tamil Nadu, has also been named a prime accused in this case. The doctor is in Police custody.”
Laboratory reports from both Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu governments confirmed the presence of Diethylene Glycol (DEG), a toxic substance, in the Coldrif syrup. The Madhya Pradesh lab reported contamination levels of over 46 percent, while the Tamil Nadu lab found 48.6 percent contamination.
The permissible limit for DEG is just 0.1 percent. Such high levels of the toxic substance would not spare vulnerable young children, as DEG is known to cause severe kidney damage and organ failure.
In the past 30 days, 11 children have lost their lives in Chhindwara alone due to kidney failure after consuming the contaminated syrup.
The children initially presented with mild fever and cold, appeared to recover, but then developed severe symptoms including complete cessation of urine output, persistent vomiting, swelling, and elevated creatinine and urea levels before progressing to acute kidney failure.
The MP government has announced a complete ban on the sale of Coldrif syrup across the state following the tragedy.
The arrest has triggered sharp reactions from doctors across India, who argue that the physician is being “made a scapegoat” for systemic failures in drug regulation and quality control.
Dr Dhruv Chauhan, National Spokesperson of Indian Medical Association Junior Doctors Network, drew stark analogies: “Blaming a doctor for deaths due to fault of drug manufacturers in prescribed treatment is like blaming a car driver for collapsing bridges, blaming a pilot for airplane engine fault and a CA for tax laws!”
He questioned the very premise of the arrest: “Welcome to the new India where a doctor is arrested today not for crime, but for prescribing a cough syrup to heal sick children. His only fault was being unaware that he was supposed to check the quality and approval of syrup which is the work of govt and drug authorities who mint money from cheap drug suppliers.”
He added that the syrup turned out to be poisonous, a tragedy born from the company’s negligence not the doctor’s intent, yet he is behind bars.
“The government has made him the scapegoat while the real culprits still walk free. When the hands that heal are handcuffed and the ones that profit from death are protected, justice itself is on life support.”
Hyderabad-based pediatrician Dr Sivaranjani Santosh expressed disbelief at the arrest: “Doctor arrested for these contaminated cough syrups, tomorrow I prescribe something. How would I know it’s contaminated? Yet investigate the manufacturers, their R&D department. The regulatory bodies who have given license, the quality control officers, the drug inspectors, these are the people you have to investigate, and if they are found to be the culprits, arrest them. Why are you making doctors the scapegoats for this? This is so unfair, so ridiculous.”
United Doctors Front echoed similar concerns: “This is a tragic example of how doctors are being scapegoated for failures in drug regulation and government oversight. The real accountability should lie with the authorities and companies responsible for ensuring medicine safety.”
Endocrinologist Dr Karthik Balachandran provided context about Dr Soni’s situation and the broader implications for medical practice.
“Dr Praveen Soni is a pediatrician posted in a CHC in Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh. He also runs his own clinic and has prescribed a cough syrup named ColdRif manufactured by Sresun Pharmaceuticals from Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.”
Dr Balachandran emphasised the fundamental issue: “His job is not to ensure the safety of the drugs. If a drug is available in the market with government approval, it is understood that the government apparatus vouches for its quality. Theoretically. As I have said many times before, there’s a lot of difference between theory and practice. In this instance, that difference has a significance. A particularly awful significance.”
He pointed out the irony of the situation: “The doctor is well within his rights to prescribe that cough syrup. Yet, the syrup had a contaminant which killed many children. Instead of arresting the people responsible for manufacturing, quality testing or approving the medicine, the government arrested Dr Soni for prescribing it! In short, the MP government blamed Dr Soni for trusting the government apparatus. No one can blame you for trusting the government, except the government itself.”
Dr Balachandran highlighted the chilling implications: “If he had stuck to a trusted, costly multinational company brand, the kids may not have died. He wouldn’t be in jail either. This shows that if a doctor is in private practice and prescribes some drug, NO ONE in the chain from manufacturing to retail will take responsibility. He is on his own.”
He explained why doctors often prefer branded drugs: “This is a chilling example of what can happen if you prescribe some unknown brand in private practice. Why doctors prescribe branded drugs, because their reputation is at stake.”
In response to the crisis, the Union Health Secretary has scheduled a video conference with Principal Secretaries (Health), Health Secretaries, and Drug Controllers of all states and Union Territories to discuss the rational use of cough syrups and ensure the quality and safety of medicines.
The incident has raised urgent questions about the accountability of drug manufacturers, regulatory bodies, quality control officers, and drug inspectors in ensuring medicine safety.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
