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Coldrif Cough Syrup Tragedy: Tamil Nadu to Permanently Cancel Licence of Sresan Pharmaceuticals After 21 Child Deaths in MP
A joint inspection of Sresan Pharmaceuticals’ facility in Sunguvarchatram, Kancheepuram, uncovered serious lapses in safety and quality control, leading authorities to seal the manufacturing unit.
- By Newsdesk
- Chennai
- Oct 09, 2025
The Tamil Nadu government has decided to permanently cancel the drug manufacturing licence of Sresan Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Coldrif cough syrup, following the deaths of at least 21 children in Madhya Pradesh linked to the product.
Health Minister Ma Subramaniam confirmed that while the licence is currently suspended pending investigation, the cancellation order will be made permanent within the next few days.
On Thursday, police arrested the company’s 75-year-old proprietor, G. Ranganathan, from his residence in Kodambakkam, Chennai, in connection with the fatalities. He is expected to be taken to Chhindwara, the district worst affected by the tragedy, for further legal proceedings. Ranganathan faces charges including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, drug adulteration, and violations of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.
A joint inspection of Sresan Pharmaceuticals’ facility in Sunguvarchatram, Kancheepuram, uncovered serious lapses in safety and quality control, leading authorities to seal the manufacturing unit.
Ranganathan, a pharmacy graduate from Madras Medical College, had been in the pharmaceutical business for several decades. He initially produced a nutritional syrup called Pronit before expanding into liquid medicines under his own label. However, investigations revealed that his modest 2,000-square-foot plant along the Chennai–Bengaluru highway failed to meet mandatory safety and manufacturing standards.
The Coldrif syrup deaths have sparked renewed scrutiny of India’s pharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem, raising urgent questions about regulatory oversight, product testing, and the safety of over-the-counter medicines for children.