Bhopal: Festival cheer turned into grief as children across cities such as Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior and Vidisha rushed to hospitals with gruesome eye injuries after playing with makeshift “carbide guns”. The gadget is deceptively simple: a plastic or tin tube filled with calcium carbide, water added to create acetylene gas, and a matchstick or spark set off a sudden blast. What’s pitched as a toy “gun” or “mini cannon” is in fact a volatile homemade explosive. Children are drawn in via social-media challenges and reels that glamorise the device as a must-have Diwali stunt.
Harmful Effects: More Than Just a Shock
The consequences are chilling. Doctors say the blast can rupture pupils, burn the cornea and retina, deposit metal fragments into the eye, and cause chemical damage from burning carbide vapours. Many cases will result in permanent blindness.
One 17-year-old girl, Neha from Vidisha, recounts buying one of the guns and losing the sight in her eye after it exploded. In Indore, practitioners reported a 12-year-old boy with such severe damage that restoration of vision is uncertain.
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Precautions: What Families & Communities Must Learn
- Never buy or use homemade explosive devices. What may look like a toy can function like a bomb.
- Supervise children closely: Especially during Diwali when peer pressure and viral trends amplify risk.
- If an eye injury occurs, act immediately: Rinse the eye with clean water without rubbing, and rush to a hospital. Delays can cost sight permanently.
- Choose safe, legal fireworks or alternatives: Encourage sparklers, LED lights, celebrations that don’t involve high-risk devices.
- Report illegal sales: If you spot vendors selling carbide guns or related devices, notify local authorities.
Consequences for Sellers and Regulators
The sale of carbide guns violates explosives and fireworks regulations. Law-enforcement has begun action: in Vidisha, at least half a dozen persons were arrested and large-scale seizures were made.
Still, the scale of harm, over 100 injuries reported in just few days , suggests that enforcement, market surveillance and public awareness remain insufficient.
Final Word
What seemed like a cheap Diwali thrill has tragically become a life-changing disaster for dozens of children in Madhya Pradesh. The homemade carbide gun is not a toy — it is a dangerous explosive that can permanently rob a child of sight. As celebrations continue, the message is clear: avoid shortcuts for fun, protect our children from viral “challenges” that blast too close to home.