What Are Carbide Guns? The Diwali ‘Toy’ That Left Over 300 Children With Eye Injuries

Last Updated:October 24, 2025, 11:32 IST

They look like toys, but explode with chemical force. Banned across Madhya Pradesh, these so-called 'carbide guns' have left children blind, injured, and hospitalised

Madhya Pradesh Bans Calcium Carbide Guns.

During the Diwali festivities in Madhya Pradesh, a sharp rise in eye-related injuries among children was reported from cities including Bhopal, Gwalior, Vidisha, and Indore. Doctors and district officials identified a common cause: a device being sold as a novelty item or toy called the “carbide gun" or “Desi Firecracker Gun".

By the time the state government imposed a ban on the sale, purchase, and storage of these devices, over 300 children had been injured. At least 10 of them reportedly lost their eyesight.

The makeshift guns mimic the sound of firecrackers and are made using explosive chemical components that can cause significant harm when detonated. Hospitals across the state, including Jaya Arogya Hospital in Gwalior, Hameedia Hospital in Bhopal, BMCHRC, Kamla Nehru, Seva Sadan, and JP Hospital, treated dozens of children for eye burns, debris injuries, and retinal damage.

What Are ‘Carbide Guns’ And How Do They Work?

The device consists of a basic plastic or metal pipe, often a piece of PVC tubing, into which a small amount of calcium carbide is placed. The setup is usually paired with a lighter or spark-producing element. When water is added to the carbide, it produces acetylene gas. Upon ignition, the gas explodes, creating a loud noise.

The resulting blast is not just loud, it also propels small fragments of plastic or metal. These act like shrapnel and have reportedly caused serious damage to the eyes, face, and skin of children using or standing near the device.

How Were They Being Used During Diwali?

In India, Diwali celebrations traditionally involve lighting diyas (oil lamps), bursting firecrackers, and exchanging sweets and gifts. Over time, the types of firecrackers available during the festival have evolved, with new variants and trends appearing each year.

This year, “carbide guns" emerged as one such trend, sold in local markets and by roadside vendors in several Madhya Pradesh districts, for Rs 150 to Rs 200 and described locally as “desi firecracker guns". Although they resembled toys, they exploded with considerable force.

What Kind Of Injuries Have Been Reported?

Children aged six to fifteen made up the bulk of those injured. Many suffered corneal damage, severe burns, or, in more serious cases, full loss of vision in one or both eyes.

At Jaya Arogya Hospital in Gwalior, 19 injured children were admitted. Of these, eight underwent emergency surgeries to remove debris from the eyes. Two patients lost their corneas, and one child had to be referred to AIIMS Bhopal for advanced treatment, according to News18.

Doctors at several hospitals reported pupils that had ruptured due to the force of the explosion. Immediate surgery was required in many such cases.

An injured 17-year-old girl named Neha told Manorama Online: “We had bought a carbide gun. When it exploded, one of my eyes was completely burned. I can’t see anything."

The distribution of reported injury cases across districts included Bhopal (150), Vidisha (50), Sehore (28), Gwalior (19), Ujjain (15), Shivpuri (10), Indore (11), Raisen (3), Datiya (2), and Ratlam (1).

Where Did The Trend Come From?

The use of these guns appears to have gained popularity through Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Several short videos tagged as part of the “Firecracker Gun Challenge" reportedly encouraged children and teenagers to replicate the device at home and record the blast on camera.

What Action Has The Government Taken?

The Madhya Pradesh government has banned the sale, purchase, and storage of these guns across the state. FIRs will be filed against anyone found violating this order.

Inspections and seizures have already taken place in Bhopal, Gwalior, and Vidisha, with Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and police teams directed to monitor firecracker shops and roadside stalls.

MP Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla said, “We are monitoring the condition of the children suffering eye injuries. Those admitted to the hospital are being monitored to ensure they don’t suffer any eye damage. I will receive the final report. Regarding the use of such pipe barrels for bursting firecrackers, an advisory had already been issued."

In a meeting with officials on October 18, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had already directed district magistrates and police officers across the state to prevent the sale of carbide pipe guns. Despite this, the devices were sold rampantly during Diwali.

The Bigger Concern: Toys That Aren’t Toys

Medical practitioners are urging parents and guardians to treat the trend as an urgent public-health issue rather than a harmless fad.

Dr Praveen Khare, head of the ophthalmology department at Bundelkhand Medical College, explained that many incidents occur when users attempt to clear or reuse rusted barrels and the charge detonates unexpectedly. “The explosion is sudden; particles of gunpowder and plastic adhere to the ocular surface and must be removed one by one. We are seeing corneal burns, penetrating injuries and, in extreme cases, the eye is expelled from the socket," he said, urging strict avoidance of such devices and warning that children are particularly vulnerable.

Dr Khare recommended the use of proper, certified protective eyewear when lighting legal fireworks and reiterated first-aid measures: wash the eye immediately with clean water if sparks enter it, do not attempt to remove embedded fragments or plastic with bare hands, and seek an ophthalmologist without delay, because improper handling can convert a salvageable injury into irreversible blindness.

Karishma Jain

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...Read More

Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar...

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