How a DIY cracker in India went from social media craze to blinding children

Arish, 15, sits on a hospital bed in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Dark glasses hide a painful injury in his left eye.

His cornea was damaged a week ago when a firecracker he had bought to celebrate Diwali exploded near his face, causing him to lose vision in one eye. He underwent emergency surgery and his doctor says only time will tell how much sight he can regain.

The teenager, who does not go to school, says he is very concerned about missing work – his father is a gardener and Arish repairs televisions to supplement the family income. Child labor is illegal in India, but millions of children work. Indian law allows children over 14 to work in certain industries considered non-hazardous.

Arish is among hundreds of children and young people from at least five states in northern India who suffered serious eye injuries as a result of the use of the same type of devices – called “carbide guns” – during Diwali.

The “carbide gun”, a primitive device that uses calcium carbide in a plastic tube, produces dramatic results – a powerful explosion resembling 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 peeked into the tube to check whether the explosion had occurred.

Buying and selling of calcium carbide is regulated in India, but farmers and shopkeepers often use it to ripen fruit artificially. Police officials also say improvised weapons are sometimes used to keep animals away from fields.

But many in India had not heard of these weapons until last week, when a spate of infections was reported after Diwali. Officials said these devices began flooding local markets in northern India after videos on social media showed them being used as firecrackers.

More than 100 cases of eye injuries associated with carbide weapons have been reported in the Bhopal district of Madhya Pradesh alone, with at least 15 cases requiring surgery. Another 100 cases were reported from three other regions.

In Bihar, 170 cases have been reported, of which 40 required surgery, says Dr. Bibihuti Prasan Sinha, who heads the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Patna. He added that the actual numbers are likely to be higher.

Cases have also been reported in the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, as well as the capital, Delhi. Some states, including Madhya Pradesh, have now banned the use of carbide guns as firecrackers and several sellers have been arrested.

Patients come with mild, moderate and severe eye injuries, says Kavitha Kumar, head of the ophthalmology department at Hamidiya Hospital in Bhopal.

“In mild cases, the skin on and around the eye is exposed to chemical injuries and thermal burns. In moderate cases, the chemical particles have caused mild damage to the cornea, and in severe cases, there is significant damage to the cornea, causing temporary loss of vision. With surgery, the patient may be able to regain his vision over time.”

Some doctors told the BBC that they were shocked by the severity of the injuries. Dr Aditi Dubey from Hamidiya Hospital said she had never seen chemical injuries caused by Diwali fireworks and had to research what “carbide guns” were.

Several patients said they bought the gun after seeing it on Instagram Reels and YouTube videos. One attractive aspect was the price: at between 150 and 200 rupees a piece ($1.70 to $2; £1.28 to £1.70), it was a relatively cheap firework that promised to make a big impact.

Searching for the term “carbide gun” on Instagram and YouTube turns up dozens of videos of young people making and using these devices, often accompanied by rap music.

Some accounts also called these videos “science experiments” with hashtags like “useful project” and “experimental video.”

Dr Sinha told the BBC that one of his patients was an engineering student who made the gun at home after watching these videos. He is currently receiving treatment after losing vision in one eye.

Calcium carbide is a controlled substance in India – its possession, use and manufacture are subject to the law due to its harmful effects and potential for abuse.

When it comes into contact with water, it produces acetylene gas, which is highly flammable and has harmful properties to health.

under Calcium carbide rules, 1987A license is required to buy, sell and store them – but only for quantities exceeding 200 kg.

A government official in Bhopal, who requested anonymity, told the BBC that calcium carbide is still widely used to ripen fruit artificially despite the federal ban because it contains traces of toxic substances.

Harinarayanachari Mishra, Bhopal Police Commissioner, told the BBC that carbide rifles are also used in northern India during wedding ceremonies and by farmers to repel monkeys.

Carbide guns should be banned urgently, says Dr Partha Biswas, president of the All India Ophthalmological Society.

He says: “It is a national problem. The seriousness of these incidents should not be underestimated and considered merely ‘accidents’ that occurred during the Diwali festival.”

He adds that there is a possibility that these weapons will be used as firecrackers during festivals and other occasions, such as when India wins a cricket match or during the New Year.

“These crude ‘carbide bombs’ or ‘carbide guns’ can cause permanent blindness, disfigurement and disability,” he says, calling for a nationwide crackdown on gun manufacturers and sellers as well as more control over the calcium carbide supply chain.

Back at Al-Hamidiya Hospital, Al-Zein, whose left eye underwent surgery after losing his sight, sits on his mother’s lap. The seven-year-old had urged his uncle to buy the gun after watching videos on YouTube.

Al-Zein’s worried mother, Afreen, has not left his bed since he was admitted to the hospital a week ago.

“I’m afraid for his future,” she says. “I hope he can see again.”