Davangere In the wake of the tragic deaths of 11 children in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan linked to the consumption of Coldrif cough syrup, Karnataka has intensified its crackdown on banned pharmaceutical products. In a major operation, Davangere police arrested five individuals for illegally selling intoxicating cough syrups without prescriptions. Authorities seized contraband worth ₹1.24 lakh.

The banned syrup, manufactured by Sresen Pharmaceuticals, was prohibited in Karnataka following its suspected role in the child fatalities. The Karnataka Pharma Retailers and Distributors Association had issued a circular instructing all pharmacies and distributors to halt its sale. Despite this, a fresh case of illegal distribution has emerged in Davangere.

According to police, the accused were selling the syrup near the service road adjacent to the Devaraj Urs flyover. The products were being sold without medical prescriptions, primarily targeting youth and substance abusers. Acting on a tip-off, the Narcotics Control Wing of the Davangere SP’s office conducted a raid and apprehended the suspects.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Shivakumar (38) of Davangere, Ajimuddin (37) of Mahaboob Nagar, Mohammad Sharik (35) of Devaraj Urs Layout, Syed Babu alias Yunus (38) of Honnabagi village, and Abdul Gaffar (48) of Channagiri town.

Police recovered 340 bottles of Broncof-C syrup (100 ml each), 15 bottles of EDEX-CT syrup, 20 boxes of tablets containing aceclofenac, paracetamol, and serratiopeptidase, one Honda Activa scooter, and ₹1,200 in cash.

A case has been registered at the Basavanagar Police Station. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to curbing the illegal drug trade and have urged the public to report suspicious pharmaceutical sales. Further investigation is underway to trace the supply chain and identify other potential offenders.