Deadly Cough Syrup: Two more children from Chhindwara died, taking the total number of deaths due to cold-related cough to 22.

Posted on 9th Oct 2025 by rohit kumar

The death toll of children due to cold-drying poisoning continues unabated. The death toll in Madhya Pradesh has now reached 22. Two more children undergoing treatment in Nagpur after consuming the cough syrup have succumbed to their injuries. With the deaths of 19 children in Chhindwara, one in Pandhurna, and two in Betul, 22 children have lost their lives so far. Several children are still hospitalized.

 

Chhindwara's Additional Collector, Dhirendra Singh Netri, stated that five-year-old Vishal died on Wednesday evening, and four-year-old Mayank Suryavanshi died late last night while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Nagpur, neighboring Maharashtra. He stated that both children were residents of Parasia town in Chhindwara.

 

Investigation Reveals Gross Negligence

The investigation revealed that some private doctors, prominent among them Dr. Praveen Soni, had administered "Cold-drying" syrup to the children. Within hours of consuming the syrup, the children's kidneys began to be affected, and their conditions continued to deteriorate. Medical tests confirmed the presence of toxic chemicals in the syrup, which, upon entering the body, were damaging the kidneys. This is why many children die from kidney failure.

 

Actions so far in the case

Chhindwara Superintendent of Police Ajay Pandey stated that S. Ranganathan, owner of Srisan Pharma, was arrested last night. He will be produced before a court in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and, after obtaining transit remand, will be brought to Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh). Furthermore, the administration has formed a special committee to conduct a high-level investigation into the incident. The committee will investigate how the toxic syrup reached the market, the level of negligence, and who is responsible.

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