MP: SIT To Probe Cough Syrup Tragedy, Toll Mounts To 14
Heads start rolling, Drug controller shunted out, 3 officers suspended
Bhopal: A 12-member special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted by the Madhya Pradesh police to probe the death of 14 children, caused by the reported toxic cough syrup-induced renal failure, in Chhindwara district in the state.
Headed by the Parasia sub-divisional police officer (SDOP) Jitendra Singh, the SIT is scheduled to visit the Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the alleged killer cough syrup, Coldrif, to examine the production of the drug and its supply network, a senior district officer told this newspaper on Monday.
One more child died in Parasia due to kidney failure, allegedly induced by the toxic syrup, taking the toll to 14. Parasia in Chhindwara district has reported 11 out of 14 deaths in the district.
Of the remaining three deaths, Chhindwara city recorded two, and Chaurai tehsil in the district reported one. All the 14 children died of kidney failure, developed after consumption of Coldrif syrup, which has been found to contain a highly toxic substance.
“Eight more affected children are being treated in Nagpur- four at government hospital, one at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and three in private facilities”, Chhindwara district additional collector Dhirendra Singh said.
An ex-gratia of Rs four lakh each has been transferred to the bank account of the next kin of 14 deceased children as per the announcement by chief minister Mohan Yadav, he said.
Mr. Yadav visited the family members of some deceased children in Parasia on Monday and expressed his deep sympathy with them. In a related development, state drug controller Dinesh Maurya was on Monday shunted out following the cough syrup tragedy in Chhindwara district.
Similarly, drug inspector of Chhindwara Gaurav Sharma, drug inspector of Jabalpur Sharad Kumar Jain and deputy director, food and drug administration Shobhit Koshta were on Monday suspended on charges of dereliction of duty.
The action against the officers was taken after Mr. Yadav held a high-level official meeting here to review the situation, sources in the chief minister’s office (CMO) said.
A couple of days ago, Dr Praveen Soni, who was found to have prescribed the toxic cough syrup to the sick children visiting his private clinic in Parasia, was arrested and later placed under suspension. The license of the medical store run by his wife was on Monday cancelled.
The chief minister directed the officers concerned to seize the existing stocks of Coldrif syrup, banned in the state following the tragedy. He also issued instructions to inform the Tamil Nadu government regarding action taken against the manufacturer of Coldrif syrup.
An FIR was earlier filed against the pharmaceutical company. Lab tests have confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic chemical, at the level of 48.6 percent, in the particular cough syrup.
Body of a two-year-old child, died due to kidney failure in Chhindwara, was on Sunday exhumed and sent for postmortem. The body was exhumed after the family members of the deceased child gave permission for it , police said.
Meanwhile, two deaths of two other children due to kidney failure, allegedly induced by the syrup, have been reported from Pandhurna and Betul in Madhya Pradesh. However, it is yet to be officially confirmed if the two deaths were linked to the syrup.
