A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of India, urging a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the deaths of at least 14 children in Chhindwara district, Madhya Pradesh, allegedly caused by consuming contaminated Coldrif cough syrup. The plea, submitted by advocate Vishal Tiwari, calls for a nationwide ban and recall of all affected syrup batches, along with mandatory testing of all syrup-based formulations.

The petition highlights that the Coldrif syrup, produced by Tamil Nadu-based Sresan Pharma Pvt Ltd, contained diethylene glycol (DEG), a toxic industrial solvent banned for pharmaceutical use. Initial reports indicated that several children suffered acute renal failure after consuming the syrup, leading to the tragic deaths. Similar incidents have been reported in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

The plea also questions the inaction of the central government and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), alleging that no ban or alert was issued despite confirmed contamination. It further notes that the World Health Organization (WHO) had previously warned India about DEG and ethylene glycol contamination, urging systemic reform.