Calcium Carbide Gun Injuries: 300 Eye Trauma Cases in Bhopal Despite ICMR Warnings

Doctors confirmed that at least 30 patients have suffered complete vision loss in one eye.

New Delhi:

Despite warnings issued two years ago by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) regarding calcium carbide guns, these unlicensed improvised "toy guns" continued to be sold throughout Madhya Pradesh during Diwali celebrations. The result has been devastating, with nearly 300 eye injury cases reported at hospitals in and around Bhopal.

ICMR had explicitly cautioned two years prior that these devices could cause permanent vision loss. Medical professionals report that at least 30 patients have completely lost sight in one eye, while numerous others remain hospitalized with corneal burns and chemical injuries.

A 2023 research study titled 'Vision-threatening ocular injury secondary to calcium carbide gun use in Indian children and young adults: A case series' detailed how calcium carbide, when combined with water, produces acetylene gas that explodes upon ignition. This explosion releases hot calcium hydroxide, causing severe chemical and thermal burns to the eyes.

"Public awareness should be raised about the potential hazards of carbide gun use. Restrictions should be imposed on the widespread unlicensed sale of calcium carbide guns and raw materials - at least for children," the study emphasized.

The research examined five young males aged 10 to 23 years from Khargone district who experienced severe eye trauma while using locally manufactured or street-purchased carbide guns.

These victims suffered monocular injuries ranging from partial vision loss (6/36) to complete blindness. Two patients required amniotic-membrane transplantation to treat deep chemical burns, yet corneal opacity and impaired vision persisted afterward. According to researchers, these injuries resulted from improper handling, poor design quality, and unpredictable functioning of the devices.

A Preventable Tragedy

The ICMR report concluded that these ocular injuries could be largely prevented through public education campaigns, regulation of raw material sales, and implementation of quality control standards for such devices.

Originally designed as "scare guns" to drive animals away from farms, these devices are now commonly used during festivals as inexpensive alternatives to firecrackers.

Despite the advisory, street vendors and online sellers throughout Bhopal and neighboring towns continued offering these guns for prices ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 300. Social media platforms feature videos teaching users how to construct their own devices using PVC pipes, calcium carbide lumps, and gas lighters.

Parents interviewed during the research stated that children could purchase these guns without adult supervision, as they were marketed as cheap toys. None of the examined devices featured safety mechanisms or warning labels.

The study further noted that treating these chemical and thermal injuries creates significant financial and emotional burdens for families in resource-limited settings.

Unregulated Sales Continued

Ignoring the warning, carbide guns remained openly available in markets across Madhya Pradesh during the recent festive season. Vendors reportedly sold them for a few hundred rupees, marketing them as "safer" alternatives to traditional firecrackers. Officials stated that while information from the ICMR study was shared with state departments, no statewide prohibition was implemented before Diwali 2025.

Delayed Response

Only after hundreds of injuries were reported did the Bhopal district administration finally issue a prohibitory order banning the manufacture, storage, sale, and use of carbide guns. The official circular, which referenced the ICMR study, stated that these unregulated devices "generate excessive noise and pose a threat to public safety." The order also restricts illegally modified firecrackers that utilize explosive mixtures in metal or PVC pipes. Health authorities have announced plans for public awareness campaigns to discourage the use of such dangerous devices.