Chhindwara Cough Syrup Case: Pharma Company Owner Arrested from Chennai After Death of 20 Children

Chhindwara (The Uttam Hindu): In a major breakthrough, Madhya Pradesh Police have arrested Ranganathan, the owner of the pharmaceutical company responsible for manufacturing the ‘Coldrif’ cough syrup, which allegedly caused the deaths of 20 children in Chhindwara district. Acting with assistance from Chennai Police, the accused was nabbed from Tamil Nadu’s capital, Chennai, on Thursday morning after being on the run for several days.

Authorities confirmed that Ranganathan has been taken to Sunguvarchatram for further investigation. Following the tragedy, the company owner had absconded, prompting a state-wide manhunt led by Madhya Pradesh Police.

The deadly cough syrup was produced by Srisan Pharmaceuticals, and investigations revealed that the syrup contained dangerously high levels of diethylene glycol, a toxic chemical known to cause kidney failure. This contamination led to the deaths of 18 children from Chhindwara and two from Betul district.

In response to the incident, the Madhya Pradesh government immediately banned all products manufactured by Srisan Pharma. The prescribing doctor, Dr. Praveen Soni, was also arrested, and his bail plea was rejected by the Additional Sessions Judge (ADJ) of Parasia.

The tragedy prompted administrative reshuffling CMHO Dr. Naresh Gonare and Civil Surgeon were removed from their posts, while Dr. Sushil Kumar Dubey was appointed as the new CMHO. The state police also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case thoroughly.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu-based company has been formally charged under multiple sections for negligence and violation of drug safety norms. Madhya Pradesh Health Minister Narendra Shivaji Patel assured that strictest action will be taken against all those found guilty, emphasizing that no one responsible for the deaths will be spared.