 "Hospitals have reported hundreds of cases, with some children facing permanent blindness")
More than 60 people, primarily children, were hospitalised in Bhopal following severe injuries sustained from the use of makeshift “calcium carbide guns” during Diwali celebrations , officials confirmed on Thursday.
The dangerous devices, which cost as little as ₹150 and are fashioned from a gas lighter, a plastic pipe, and calcium carbide, were widely available this festival season despite an official ban. The carbide reacts with water to produce highly explosive acetylene gas, which ignites upon contact with a spark.
Hospital officials told PTI that the injured, mostly children aged 8 to 14, are receiving treatment at several facilities, including Hamidia Hospital, AIIMS, and JP Hospital. While all victims are reported to be stable and out of life-threatening danger, several have suffered facial burns, and some have tragically lost their eyesight due to shrapnel from the exploding plastic pipes.
“Carbide pipe guns are very dangerous,” stated Bhopal’s Chief Medical Health Officer (CMHO) Manish Sharma, confirming that more than 60 people are currently being treated. In total, over 150 injury cases related to carbide guns were reported across the city the day after Deepavali, though many were discharged after receiving first aid.
The spread of these dangerous devices has angered victims’ families. Sarikh Khan, whose 15-year-old son was injured, called for a total ban on their sale. “Those who make and sell these guns should be punished, and the children’s medical costs should be covered,” he said, as quoted by PTI.
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had reportedly directed district officials just days earlier, on October 18, to prevent the sale of carbide pipe guns across the state. Despite this directive, the devices were sold rampantly in local markets, leading directly to the mass injuries.