MP: Over 125 injured by carbide guns; many face permanent blindness

October 23, 2025

Bhopal: What should have been a night of lights and joy turned into a nightmare for families across Bhopal and surrounding districts this Diwali, as makeshift “carbide guns” – marketed as cheap festive toys – caused severe injuries to more than 125 people, including children and the elderly.

Injuries Across Madhya Pradesh

According to doctors, the actual number of victims may be closer to 200. Nearly 20 cases were reported from Gwalior, four from Indore, three from Sagar, and 36 from Bhopal. Most cases have surfaced in clinics and private hospitals.

Patients include residents from Bhopal, Seoni Malwa, Hoshangabad, Sehore, and Narsinghpur, overwhelming eye wards. Hospitals reported that over 70 per cent of the injuries involved corneal damage, with several victims suffering permanent vision loss.

Deadly Toy Sold in Markets

The devices, priced around Rs 200 and made from plastic pipes, gas lighters, and calcium carbide, explode violently upon ignition, hurling shrapnel-like fragments into eyes, faces, and bodies.

At Hamidia Hospital, one of Bhopal’s largest government facilities, doctors treated around 40 patients on Diwali night alone.

Doctors Warn of ‘Explosive’ Risk

Kavita Kumar, Head of the Ophthalmology Department, described the carbide gun as a “deadly explosive” rather than a toy, explaining that it produces acetylene gas, which ignites with a spark from an ignitor.

“The blast scatters plastic shards like pellets, causing deep corneal ulcers and burns,” she said.

According to a private hospital doctor, in emergency cases, corneal transplants are required with urgent tissue replacement — a costly procedure that can take months for recovery.

Children Among the Worst Affected

Across Madhya Pradesh, over 125 children were hospitalised with similar injuries, and at least 14 have lost their eyesight permanently, according to reports citing state health officials.

Bhopal Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Manish Sharma confirmed over 60 hospitalisations in the city, primarily children aged 8-14. More than 150 injuries were reported the day after Diwali, though many victims were discharged after receiving first aid.

Ban Ignored Despite CM’s Directive

Despite Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s October 18 directive to district authorities to ban the sale of carbide guns, the devices were widely available in markets, driven by social media trends glamourising them as Diwali stunts.