No fewer than 20 children under the age of five have died in Madhya Pradesh, India, after consuming a contaminated cough syrup found to contain lethal levels of a toxic chemical.
The medicine, branded Coldrif and manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, was discovered to contain diethylene glycol (DEG) — a poisonous industrial solvent used in products like antifreeze. Tests showed the substance was present at nearly 500 times the safe limit, according to Reuters.
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Authorities have shut down the company and arrested its owner, S. Ranganathan. Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Health Minister Rajendra Shukla confirmed that most of the victims were from Chhindwara, Betul, and Pandhurna districts. He said a Special Investigation Team had been set up immediately after the deaths were reported.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has described DEG as a highly toxic chemical that can be fatal even in small doses, especially in children. The agency said it is closely monitoring the case and has contacted India’s drug regulators for updates. WHO also confirmed that DEG was found in at least three syrup medicines consumed by the children. The affected medicines have since been recalled and production suspended.
This tragedy follows similar incidents in Gambia, Uzbekistan, and Cameroon, where tainted syrups were linked to child fatalities, raising renewed concerns over India’s pharmaceutical safety standards.
The company’s owner now faces charges of culpable homicide, drug adulteration, and violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Authorities have promised severe punishment for anyone who is found responsible for this tragedy, as grieving families demand justice.
