**Cough Syrup Deaths: PIL in Supreme Court Seeks CBI Probe**

*By Snehil Singh | October 7, 2025, 4:29 PM*

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the deaths of 14 children in Madhya Pradesh, allegedly after consuming contaminated cough syrup. The PIL also calls for an investigation led by a retired Supreme Court judge into the manufacturing, regulation, testing, and distribution processes of the cough syrups involved, according to ANI reports.

Several children across different states reportedly died after consuming Coldrif cough syrup, which was found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG), a highly toxic industrial solvent.

### Ban on Coldrif Cough Syrup

The Union Health Ministry has confirmed that Coldrif cough syrup, produced by Sresan Pharma in Tamil Nadu, contained DEG beyond permissible limits. After testing a sample, the Drug Testing Laboratory in Chennai declared the product “Not of Standard Quality,” a finding confirmed by the state Directorate of Drug Control.

In response to these findings and growing concerns over child deaths linked to suspected renal failure, Tamil Nadu became the first state to ban the sale and distribution of Coldrif cough syrup.

### Nationwide Action and Alerts

Following Tamil Nadu’s lead, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala have also imposed bans on Coldrif syrup. Telangana issued a public alert cautioning consumers about the product, while the Punjab government directed all retailers and healthcare institutions to immediately stop purchasing or using Coldrif.

This tragic incident has sparked widespread concern across the country, leading to stock confiscations and stricter drug prescription guidelines in several states including Kerala and Karnataka.

### Historical Context: WHO Warnings on Indian Cough Syrups

This is not the first time Indian-made cough syrups have been linked to child fatalities. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) connected cough syrups from Maiden Pharmaceuticals to the deaths of 70 children in The Gambia due to acute kidney injuries caused by diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG).

The following year, Uzbekistan reported at least 18 child deaths linked to a cough syrup manufactured by Marion Biotech in India, resulting in another WHO warning about the safety of such products.

—

The current wave of deaths triggered by contaminated cough syrups has raised serious questions about drug safety regulations and quality control in India, calling for urgent reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/india/cough-syrup-deaths-pil-seeks-cbi-probe-states-ban-coldrif/story