Diwali Horror in MP: Cheap Carbide Guns Blind Children, Over 180 Injured

This special report focuses on the tragic aftermath of Diwali in Madhya Pradesh, where the open sale of illegal "carbide guns" resulted in severe eye injuries to over 180 people, predominantly children. The report quotes a doctor on the grim situation: 'About 20-30% people have suffered severe damage, in which their entire ocular surface has burned.' These inexpensive devices, sold for as little as ₹150, use calcium carbide and water to produce highly flammable acetylene gas, creating a powerful blast with no safety checks. The incident has exposed significant failures by law enforcement agencies to curb the sale of these dangerous contraptions, which combine chemical, fire, and blast injuries, leading to partial vision loss and the need for corneal transplants in several victims.