Cough syrup row: Rajasthan govt suspends drug controller, halts distribution of Kaysons Pharma drugs
Jaipur (PTI): The Rajasthan government has suspended the state drug controller and halted the distribution of medicines manufactured by Jaipur-based company Kaysons Pharma, officials said.
The Medical and Health Department stopped the supply of all 19 medicines manufactured by Kaysons Pharma until further orders, they said. Distribution of all other cough syrups containing Dextromethorphan has also been suspended.
The government has placed drug controller Rajaram Sharma under suspension for allegedly influencing the process of determining drug standards, the department said.
This comes amid reports of deaths of 11 children, nine in Madhya Pradesh and two in Rajasthan, allegedly linked to contaminated cough syrup.
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma has ordered a detailed probe into the matter along with effective action.
Following his instructions, an expert committee is being constituted to investigate the issue.
Health Minister Gajendra Singh also ordered an inquiry and measures to safeguard public interest, an official statement said.
Principal Secretary in the Medical and Health Department, Gayatri Rathore, said the Union government issued an advisory in 2021 against administering Dextromethorphan to children below four years.
The state has reiterated the advisory, while the Drug Controller General of India on Friday advised that the syrup should normally be given only to children above five years, and in no circumstances to those under two years of age.
Officials added that drugs which are potentially harmful to children and pregnant women will now carry clear warning labels.
According to the managing director of Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Ltd (RMSCL), Pukhraj Sen, over 10,000 samples of Kaysons Pharma drugs have been tested since 2012, of which 42 failed the quality standards.
As a precaution, the supply of all 19 medicines manufactured by the company has been suspended.
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Protesters clash with police during torch rally in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): People protesting the death of two children in a recent bomb blast in Manipur clashed with security forces during a torch rally in the state capital Imphal, police said.
Two children died in a bomb blast at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur on April 7. The Imphal Valley districts have been witnessing daily protests over the incident.
A seven-km-long torch rally was brought out from Mayai Lambi to Keishamthong in Imphal West district on Monday night, but the participants turned violent and clashed with the security forces, a police officer said.
Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells in Keishamthong area after hundreds of protesters defying curfew demanded they be allowed to proceed for another 200 metres towards Keisampat area, which is close to the Lok Bhavan and the BJP state office, he said.
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Orders prohibiting the movement of any individuals outside their respective homes are in force in all the five valley districts from 5 pm to 5 am.
"Protesters pelted the security forces with stones and iron pellets from catapults, endangering the lives of the heavily outnumbered security forces," the officer said.
Manipur Police have, meanwhile, arrested 19 people for violating curfew and committing offences, including blocking roads and damaging public property, in the Greater Imphal area. They were nabbed from different parts of Imphal West district on Sunday, a police statement said.
In the Ukhrul district headquarters, a candlelight vigil was held on Monday night to honour the two Tangkhul Naga civilians who were killed in an ambush in TM Kasom area in the district on April 18.
Various civil society organisations from both the valley and hill areas strongly condemned the brutal killings, alleging that the victims were shot by Kuki militants using sniper rifles.
