Plea seeks compensation, drug safety reforms, and creation of a real-time pharmacovigilance portal
New Delhi, October 8 :A petition filed in the Supreme Court has sought a CBI probe into the deaths of 14 children in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district, allegedly caused by a contaminated cough syrup. The plea, moved by advocate Vishal Tiwari, also calls for a nationwide recall of all toxic syrup batches and compensation for the victims’ families.
According to the petition, the children, all below 15 years, died after consuming “Coldrif” syrup manufactured by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharma Pvt. Ltd. Tests confirmed the presence of Diethylene Glycol (DEG) , a lethal industrial solvent banned for medicinal use.
Citing similar tragedies in Gambia and Uzbekistan linked to Indian-made syrups, the plea accused regulators of “systemic failure.” It urged the Supreme Court to direct the Centre to establish a National Pharmacovigilance Portal for real-time drug safety monitoring and mandatory pre-release testing of all liquid formulations.
The case has reignited concerns over India’s pharmaceutical oversight amid recurring global warnings on drug safety lapses.
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