The Madhya Pradesh police have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death of 14 children in Chhindwara.
Chhindwara: The Madhya Pradesh police have formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death of 14 children in Chhindwara due to suspected renal failure, linked to the consumption of a “toxic” cough syrup, officials said.
Dr Praveen Soni from Chhindwara has been arrested for alleged negligence in connection with the child deaths, while a case has been registered against the Coldrif cough syrup manufacturing company, the officials said on Sunday.
The body of the last victim was exhumed on Sunday for a post-mortem.
Chhindwara Additional Collector Dhirendra Singh said that ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each, announced by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, has been transferred to the bank accounts of the victims’ families.
Eight children are being treated in Nagpur, four in a government hospital, one at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and three in private facilities, he said.
Meanwhile, two children in MP’s Betul district have died allegedly after taking Coldrif cough syrup, health officials said on Sunday.
Upset by the arrest of Dr Soni, who was also practising at a private clinic and had prescribed the syrup even after its adverse effects on children for nearly a month, his colleagues have threatened to strike work from Monday.
The Opposition Congress has also announced a protest from Monday to highlight the “BJP government’s failure” in handling the crisis and seek more financial relief for the families of the children.
The MP government has banned the sale of Coldrif cough syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharmaceutical, Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu), with officials saying the drug samples have been found to contain a highly toxic substance.
