Madhya Pradesh SIT conducts probe at factory, registered address of cough syrup maker in TN

Chennai, Oct 8 (PTI) A seven member SIT led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police from Madhya Pradesh formed to look into the deaths of children from allegedly consuming a cough syrup conducted probe at the factory of the drug manufacturer near here on Wednesday, sources said.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) later visited the company's registered address in the city and collected relevant details as part of the inspection, they said.

"We arrived here last night. We are conducting the probe. He (owner of the drug company) had left the premises three days ago. We are collecting details based on the CCTV footage (available at the registered office)," an official part of the SIT told PTI.

An official of Ashok Nagar Police station here said the SIT is being assisted by the Tamil Nadu police locally and they are conducting inspection at the registered premises of the drug manufacturing company.

"They conducted the inspection at the factory earlier in the day. The factory has been sealed right now. This is the registered address that has been provided by the company. It seems the owners and others had left the premises three days ago," an official said.

On October 5, the Madhya Pradesh police formed the SIT to probe the death of the children in Chhindwara district due to suspected renal failure, linked to the consumption of a 'toxic' cough syrup.

Madhya Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla on October 7 said as many as 20 children from the state have died so far while undergoing treatment for kidney failure after drinking the contaminated cough syrup.

The Chennai-based pharmaceutical company has been supplying the cough syrup 'Coldrif' to Puducherry, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan and also some others.

The Food Safety and Drug Administration department, on October 4 declared that the samples of the cough syrups collected from the manufacturing facility in Sunguvarchatram, Kancheepuram, were found to be 'adulterated' following which the company has been instructed to 'halt production' immediately.

The Tamil Nadu Government has banned the cough syrup 'Coldrif' with effect from October 1 and ordered removal of stocks of the medicine from the market. PTI VIJ VIJ SA