Chhindwara had received a ‘death alert’ from Nagpur:Doctor asked Parasia councillor, ‘Could the medicine be toxic?’; SDM said, ‘We’ll look into it’

The deaths of children in Chhindwara from Coldrif cough syrup could have been prevented if the district administration had acted on Nagpur’s early warning. On September 15, Dr Rajesh Agrawal, director of Colors Hospital in Nagpur, alerted Parasia councillor Anuj Patkar, saying’ Be alert — children’s kidneys are failing. This may be a reaction to some medicine. Patkar informed the Collector and SDM, and local journalist Prashant Shelke also reported on September 18 that toxic substances in the syrups being given to children might be damaging their kidneys. Despite these warnings, the administration took no immediate action and banned the fatal Coldrif syrup only on September 30 — 15 days later. By then, 23 children had died. Dainik Bhaskar team carried out a reverse investigation, visiting Nagpur and speaking to Dr Agrawal and others who first raised the alarm. Dr Agrawal: Kidney failure in children is not a common occurrence Dainik Bhaskar team first reached Colors Hospital in Nagpur and spoke to Dr Rajesh Agrawal, the hospital’s director — the first doctor to suspect that a medicine could be behind the sudden kidney failures in children. Dr Agrawal said, A child was admitted to the hospital in a critical condition. The doctors and staff told me the child’s kidneys had suddenly failed, and he had to be put on a ventilator. I was shocked — kidney failure in children is not common. There had to be a serious reason behind it. He said he personally investigated the case, questioning the parents about the child’s illness, food, drinking water, and nearby environmental conditions such as chemical factories or polluted sources. “Everything appeared normal,” he said. The parents told him that other children in Parasia were also developing the same problem after recovering from fever. “That’s when I felt there must be a common cause. All the children had similar symptoms. I asked about the medicines being given, but the parents couldn’t give clear details,” Dr Agrawal added. Councillor alerted administration on September 17 After noticing the pattern, Dr Agrawal called his friend and Parasia councillor, Anuj Patkar, warning him that “the medicine being given to children could be wrong” and asking him to alert others. Patkar said, Dr Agrawal called me on September 17, while I was in Nagpur with my sick wife. He told me that two children from Parasia were admitted to his hospital and their kidneys were failing. He said similar cases were coming to other hospitals too.
Patkar immediately informed SDM Shubham Kumar Yadav and then District Magistrate Shailendra Singh. “The SDM told me they would look into it. Later that evening, he called back and said he had instructed Anganwadi workers to spread awareness,” Patkar said. Local media also raised concerns Local journalist Prashant Shelke, who has reported from Parasia for over 25 years, said he began tracking the issue after the first child, Adnan, died on September 7. “Then on September 12, another child fell ill. Cases were increasing, but no one realised it would become this serious,” he said. Shelke added, On September 17, Anuj Patkar told me about Dr Agrawal’s warning from Nagpur. I felt this was becoming serious and wrote about it on social media the next day.
In his September 18 report, Shelke wrote that children admitted in Nagpur were suffering from kidney failure. He mentioned one death in the Newton area and that children from Badkuhi, Umreth and Ridhora were also hospitalised in Nagpur. His story also noted that Nagpur doctors had discussed possible side effects of a particular medicine with local doctors — though no firm conclusion had yet been reached. Nagpur Medical College conducted biopsy tests Doctors at Nagpur Medical College told us (off camera) that all the children from Chhindwara showed similar symptoms — cold, cough and fever — and several had been prescribed the same medicines, including Coldrif syrup. After reviewing the children’s medical histories, the doctors conducted kidney biopsy tests, which revealed acute tubular injury, a condition linked to toxic damage. They also referred to a 2024 study identifying diethylene glycol contamination as highly dangerous for kidneys. Chhindwara paediatrician Dr Pawan Nandurkar said, Nagpur doctors found that Coldrif syrup was a common factor among the affected children. We informed the administration immediately, and the medicine was then banned in Chhindwara. Factory sealed, company owner absconding; ₹20,000 reward announced The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday sealed the factory producing the Coldrif cough syrup. Officials said a case will also be filed against the Chennai-based manufacturer. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) from Madhya Pradesh reached Tamil Nadu the same day to collect evidence. The team visited Srisun Pharma’s registered office and its Kanchipuram plant. According to officials, the company’s owner and director, Ranganathan, has been absconding since the case came to light. He reportedly left the factory three days before the raid. The SIT has announced a ₹20,000 reward for anyone providing information about his whereabouts. Ranganathan’s 2,000-square-foot apartment on the Chennai–Bengaluru Highway has been sealed, while the company’s registered office in Kodambakkam remains closed. Minister blames Tamil Nadu government for negligence Madhya Pradesh Minister of State for Health Narendra Shivaji Patel has held the Tamil Nadu government and its officials responsible for the entire incident. He said, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav is personally monitoring the case with full sensitivity and urgency. The affected children are receiving treatment, and the state government will cover all medical expenses. Patel added that the responsibility lies with Tamil Nadu’s regulatory system, as the state government issues manufacturing licences and is required to inspect medicines produced in its factories. “Each batch must be laboratory-tested before release. In this case, the Tamil Nadu government failed to properly carry out its duties,” he said.