On August 16, a quiet village in Madhya Pradesh witnessed the beginning of one of India’s worst medical tragedies in recent years. Seventeen children lost their lives after consuming a cough syrup laced with toxic industrial chemicals. The investigation led to Tamil Nadu’s Kancheepuram district, where Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the syrup, was found to have flouted safety norms for over 14 years.

The company used non-pharma-grade Propylene Glycol, a chemical unfit for human consumption, in the production of Coldrif cough syrup. Tests revealed the presence of diethylene glycol — a poisonous substance used in brake fluid and antifreeze — known to cause acute kidney failure, especially in children. A field inspection by the Tamil Nadu Drug Control Authority uncovered over 364 critical and major violations, from unhygienic conditions to a complete lack of contamination testing. Despite this, the company’s licence remained active.

Authorities have now traced the deadly batch ‘SR 13’ and issued alerts across Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Puducherry to freeze its sale. How such a company operated unchecked for so long is the question we ask in this week’s In Public Interest.

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