Chennai: A shocking wave of grief has swept across Madhya Pradesh after 14 children died of kidney failure linked to the consumption of Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical Maker, a Chennai-based firm now at the center of a nationwide health investigation. Laboratory tests confirmed that the medicine contained 48.6 percent Diethylene Glycol (DEG) a highly toxic industrial chemical that can cause severe kidney and neurological damage. The tragedy has prompted multiple states and central authorities to take urgent action against the company.
Records show that Sresan’s business history stretches back more than three decades. It originally existed as Sresan Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, registered in 1990 under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. However, the company was later struck off from the official register, reportedly for failing to comply with mandatory filings and documentation. Despite this, a new entity Sresan Pharmaceutical Maker appears to have taken shape in subsequent years, operating as a proprietorship rather than a private limited firm. On its trade listings, Sresan identifies itself as a dealer of cough syrups, protein powders, pharmaceutical syrups, and herbal tonics, with Ranganathan listed as the registered business partner.
Further scrutiny reveals that a person named Ranganathan Govindarajan had earlier served as director of the old private limited company. The addresses associated with both entities the defunct firm and the new proprietorship differ slightly but are located within the same area of Chennai, suggesting a continuation or revival of the same business under a new legal structure. This connection has raised critical questions about whether the company possessed valid manufacturing licenses or quality certifications for its products.
The crisis first came to light in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh, where several children developed symptoms of acute renal failure after consuming Coldrif syrup. Following tests, the state’s Food and Drug Administration confirmed the presence of dangerous levels of Diethylene Glycol, a solvent often used in industrial processes but prohibited in medicinal formulations. The Madhya Pradesh Police have since filed a criminal case against Sresan Pharmaceutical Maker, and a doctor who prescribed the syrup has also been arrested on charges of negligence. The state government swiftly banned the sale, storage, and distribution of the cough syrup.
In Tamil Nadu, where the company is based, the government also began an immediate investigation. State Health Minister Ma. Subramanian announced that laboratory testing confirmed the contamination and warned of strong legal action against those responsible. He emphasized that the state would enforce strict compliance to protect consumers from unsafe medicines and prevent similar incidents in the future.
The fallout quickly extended beyond these two states. The Telangana Drugs Control Administration issued a public health alert, warning citizens to stop using Coldrif syrup. The Rajasthan government followed by imposing a statewide ban on its sale. Meanwhile, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has initiated a comprehensive inspection of Sresan’s manufacturing unit in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, in coordination with state drug regulators. The inspection aims to identify the sources of contamination and trace the entire distribution network of the affected batch.
This deadly episode has once again highlighted serious gaps in India’s pharmaceutical oversight system. Experts have pointed out that small-scale drug manufacturers often escape regular scrutiny, leading to quality control failures and contamination risks. Similar incidents involving Diethylene Glycol contamination have occurred in the past both in India and abroad resulting in hundreds of child fatalities and global concern over manufacturing standards.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are focusing on key questions: Did Sresan possess valid production approvals? Were raw materials properly tested before use? Was there deliberate negligence or a failure of internal checks? The final report by the CDSCO is expected to determine the extent of responsibility and recommend corrective action.
For now, Sresan Pharmaceutical Maker finds itself at the center of a nationwide pharmaceutical scandal. The Coldrif tragedy stands as a grim reminder of how lapses in drug manufacturing and weak regulatory enforcement can turn life-saving medicines into lethal poisons with the most vulnerable paying the highest price.