BHOPAL: As deaths of children, supposedly after consuming cough syrup, continued to haunt MP with the toll rising to 14 - with three more deaths confirmed on Sunday - MP police arrested a govt doctor in Chhindwara district, charging him with "negligence causing death." Police also exhumed the body of a two-year-old girl in Chhindwara for an autopsy, the first to be conducted among the 14 reported deaths till now.
The FIR also mentioned the promoters of the TN-based company that manufactured Coldrif that most of the victims consumed.
Later, a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted to probe the deaths. The team will visit Tamil Nadu to look into the operations of Sresan Pharmaceuticals.
Three deaths were reported in Chhindwara on Sunday, taking the toll in the district to 14. On Saturday, MP govt had banned the sale of Coldrif in the state after a report from Tamil Nadu govt confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG) - a poisonous industrial chemical known to cause acute kidney failure - in samples of the cough syrup. All the children, majority of them four years and below, died of renal failure.
Sunday morning witnessed high drama in Chhindwara where police arrested pediatrician Dr Praveen Soni, who had prescribed Coldrif to most of the victims. An FIR was registered early Sunday morning at Parasia police station against promoters of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer of Coldrif, and Dr Soni.
The FIR charged them with "negligence causing death" (Section 105 of BNS) and "adulterating of drugs" (Section 276). They were also slapped with Section 27(a) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which mentions that anyone manufacturing, selling, or distributing an adulterated or substandard drug that causes death or grievous harm is liable for imprisonment of up to 10 years. The FIR followed a complaint filed by Parasia block medical officer Dr Ankit Sahlam. Dr Soni was sent to police custody.
Chhindwara SP Ajay Pandey told TOI, "The accused doctor has been arrested. An SIT has been constituted to probe the case. The SIT will also visit Tamil Nadu. On Sunday, the body of a two-year-old girl, who died on Saturday, was exhumed with parental consent, and an autopsy was conducted. The report is awaited."
This two-year-old girl is the only victim whose autopsy was conducted so far.
Bereaved Parents Seek Justice, Action Against Culprits | page 4
Bhopal: The bereaved parents of the six children who died after being administered the cough syrup Coldrif - contaminated with 48.6% diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic substance used as antifreeze and in brake fluids - have vowed to ensure the culprits are punished.
"I feel the firm owners are the real culprits. They must be punished," said Yashin Khan, 36, from Chhindwara's Parasia, whose 4-year-old son, Usaid, died during treatment in Nagpur on Sept 13 of renal complications after taking Coldrif.
Khan's voice trembled as he spoke to TOI, but his demand was resolute: "All we ask from the govt is that the company be sealed so that no other parent suffers what we are going through."
He explained that he had taken his child to the assistant of Dr Praveen Soni, Dr Aman Siddiqui. "We have been visiting them for years," he said, adding that the tragedy had left him financially and emotionally devastated. "I not only sold my autorickshaw but also my wife's jewellery. But I will not leave it at this - I will personally file an FIR against the company that took my son's life."
Another grieving father, Rashid Bosham, 36, of Chakadhana village, lost his 14-month-old daughter, Sandhya, on Oct 1. "I work as a labourer in Karnataka. When she fell ill, I was away, but when her condition deteriorated, I rushed home," he said. "Initially, she recovered, but then she stopped urinating and developed complications. We rushed her to Nagpur, where she passed away. All I want is for those truly responsible to be punished so that no parent faces what we are enduring." Bosham is now left with three children.
In Badkuhi, tragedy struck again when Yogita, 2, the daughter of Sushant Thakre, a private school teacher, died on Oct 4 during treatment. Her autopsy was conducted a day later after her body was exhumed with her parents' consent. "She was their only child," said Prachi Mohaniya, an ASHA worker from Badkuhi. "She just had fever and cough-like symptoms, was given treatment, then developed complications and died. No one could understand what went wrong."
Police have registered an FIR against Dr Praveen Soni, the local paediatrician, and Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer of Coldrif syrup, under provisions of BNS and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Dr Soni has been arrested and suspended by the govt, while the company faces criminal charges for manufacturing the adulterated drug.
The FIR also mentioned the promoters of the TN-based company that manufactured Coldrif that most of the victims consumed.
Later, a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted to probe the deaths. The team will visit Tamil Nadu to look into the operations of Sresan Pharmaceuticals.
Three deaths were reported in Chhindwara on Sunday, taking the toll in the district to 14. On Saturday, MP govt had banned the sale of Coldrif in the state after a report from Tamil Nadu govt confirmed the presence of diethylene glycol (DEG) - a poisonous industrial chemical known to cause acute kidney failure - in samples of the cough syrup. All the children, majority of them four years and below, died of renal failure.
Sunday morning witnessed high drama in Chhindwara where police arrested pediatrician Dr Praveen Soni, who had prescribed Coldrif to most of the victims. An FIR was registered early Sunday morning at Parasia police station against promoters of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer of Coldrif, and Dr Soni.
The FIR charged them with "negligence causing death" (Section 105 of BNS) and "adulterating of drugs" (Section 276). They were also slapped with Section 27(a) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, which mentions that anyone manufacturing, selling, or distributing an adulterated or substandard drug that causes death or grievous harm is liable for imprisonment of up to 10 years. The FIR followed a complaint filed by Parasia block medical officer Dr Ankit Sahlam. Dr Soni was sent to police custody.
Chhindwara SP Ajay Pandey told TOI, "The accused doctor has been arrested. An SIT has been constituted to probe the case. The SIT will also visit Tamil Nadu. On Sunday, the body of a two-year-old girl, who died on Saturday, was exhumed with parental consent, and an autopsy was conducted. The report is awaited."
This two-year-old girl is the only victim whose autopsy was conducted so far.
Bereaved Parents Seek Justice, Action Against Culprits | page 4
Bhopal: The bereaved parents of the six children who died after being administered the cough syrup Coldrif - contaminated with 48.6% diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic substance used as antifreeze and in brake fluids - have vowed to ensure the culprits are punished.
"I feel the firm owners are the real culprits. They must be punished," said Yashin Khan, 36, from Chhindwara's Parasia, whose 4-year-old son, Usaid, died during treatment in Nagpur on Sept 13 of renal complications after taking Coldrif.
Khan's voice trembled as he spoke to TOI, but his demand was resolute: "All we ask from the govt is that the company be sealed so that no other parent suffers what we are going through."
He explained that he had taken his child to the assistant of Dr Praveen Soni, Dr Aman Siddiqui. "We have been visiting them for years," he said, adding that the tragedy had left him financially and emotionally devastated. "I not only sold my autorickshaw but also my wife's jewellery. But I will not leave it at this - I will personally file an FIR against the company that took my son's life."
Another grieving father, Rashid Bosham, 36, of Chakadhana village, lost his 14-month-old daughter, Sandhya, on Oct 1. "I work as a labourer in Karnataka. When she fell ill, I was away, but when her condition deteriorated, I rushed home," he said. "Initially, she recovered, but then she stopped urinating and developed complications. We rushed her to Nagpur, where she passed away. All I want is for those truly responsible to be punished so that no parent faces what we are enduring." Bosham is now left with three children.
In Badkuhi, tragedy struck again when Yogita, 2, the daughter of Sushant Thakre, a private school teacher, died on Oct 4 during treatment. Her autopsy was conducted a day later after her body was exhumed with her parents' consent. "She was their only child," said Prachi Mohaniya, an ASHA worker from Badkuhi. "She just had fever and cough-like symptoms, was given treatment, then developed complications and died. No one could understand what went wrong."
Police have registered an FIR against Dr Praveen Soni, the local paediatrician, and Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the Tamil Nadu-based manufacturer of Coldrif syrup, under provisions of BNS and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Dr Soni has been arrested and suspended by the govt, while the company faces criminal charges for manufacturing the adulterated drug.
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