Diwali turns tragic as homemade ‘carbide guns’ leave 14 children blind in MP
Bhopal: A surge in injuries linked to a homemade device known locally as the “carbide gun” has sent scores of children to hospitals across Madhya Pradesh in the days following Diwali, health officials and police said on Thursday.
Over a 72-hour period, more than 122 children were admitted with severe eye and facial injuries, authorities reported, and 14 of them have suffered complete loss of sight. Vidisha district has been the worst affected, where the devices were openly sold in local markets despite a government ban issued on October 18. Prices for the crude guns ranged between Rs 150 and Rs 200, officials said.
The makeshift weapons — assembled from items such as a gas lighter, a plastic pipe, and calcium carbide — rapidly generate acetylene gas when the carbide comes into contact with water; a spark can then trigger an explosion. Some youths reportedly mixed gunpowder and match-head material with carbide inside plastic or tin pipes, creating a “mini cannon” that fires shrapnel and burning gas toward the user’s face.
Seventeen-year-old Neha, a patient at Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal, described the moment her device detonated. “We bought a homemade carbide gun. When it exploded, one of my eyes burned completely. I can’t see anything,” she said. Another victim, Raj Vishwakarma, told reporters he had attempted to recreate a viral clip. “I saw videos on social media and tried to make a firecracker gun at home. It exploded in my face... and I lost my eye,” he said.
Medical staff say the injuries are catastrophic. “This device causes direct damage to the eyes. The explosion releases metal fragments and carbide vapours that burn the retina. We are treating several cases where children’s pupils ruptured, leading to permanent blindness,” said Dr Manish Sharma, CMHO, Hamidia Hospital. At Hamidia alone, doctors admitted 26 children within 72 hours; several patients have required intensive care.
Police in Vidisha have arrested six people for allegedly selling the devices, Inspector RK Mishra said. “Immediate action has been taken. Those responsible for selling or promoting these carbide guns will face legal consequences,” he added.
Hospitals in Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior also reported spikes in young patients with blast-related trauma, with clinicians warning that plastic fragments act as shrapnel and that burns and penetrating injuries commonly affect the eyes, face and skin.
Investigators linked the trend to viral short-form videos on platforms including Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, where the “Firecracker Gun Challenge” has encouraged teenagers to film and share the stunt. Police and health officials urged parents and community leaders to prevent further injuries as enquiries continue into the suppliers and promoters of the banned devices.
