In brief
This Diwali has seen an alarming spike in eye injuries among children in India due to the use of improvised firecracker devices known as 'carbide guns.' Reports indicate that over 100 injuries have occurred, particularly in Madhya Pradesh. Many children, drawn by social media trends, have sustained severe damage to their eyes, resulting in surgeries and long-term worries about their vision and future. Experts are urging stricter controls on such devices, as well as broader public safety campaigns.
Aarish, 15, sits on a hospital bed in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. A pair of dark glasses hides a painful injury in his left eye.
His cornea was damaged a week ago when an improvised firecracker device that he bought to celebrate the Diwali festival exploded near his face, causing him to lose vision in one eye. He has undergone emergency surgery and his doctor says only time will tell how much sight he can regain.
The teenager, who doesn't go to school, says he's most worried about missing work - his father works as a gardener and Aarish repairs televisions to supplement the family income. Child labour is illegal in India, but millions of children work.
Aarish is among hundreds of children and young adults from at least five states across northern India who have suffered serious eye injuries from using the same kind of device - called carbide guns - during Diwali.
The carbide gun, a rudimentary device, using calcium carbide in a plastic pipe, gives dramatic results - a loud blast that sounds like a gunshot, accompanied by fiery sparks. But the explosion is unpredictable and often delayed - officials told the BBC that many of the injuries occurred when children peeped inside the pipe to check just as the blast happened.
Despite being regulated, the sale and purchase of calcium carbide continues, often used by farmers and shopkeepers for chemical processes. However, the recent surge in injuries coincided with their popularity thanks to viral social media videos that depicted them as exciting firecrackers.
More than 100 cases of carbide gun-related eye injuries have been reported in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal district alone, with at least 15 requiring surgery. Cases have also emerged from other states, leading to calls for action from health professionals and government officials alike.
Experts urge immediate regulatory measures to prevent further incidents. The alarming trend highlights a growing concern not only over DIY firecrackers but also the broader impact of social media on dangerous behaviors.
