What are carbide guns? Dangerous Diwali crackers banned in MP after 300 injured

Updated on: Oct 24, 2025 09:26 PM IST

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Children often find this exciting during Diwali because the explosion mimics a gunshot or bomb sound.

The Madhya Pradesh government has banned the sale, purchase, and manufacturing of calcium carbide guns used as firecrackers after nearly 300 people suffered vision-threatening eye injuries during the Diwali festivities in the state.

Over 50 injuries were reported from Vidisha and 56 from Gwalior. Most of the victims are children aged between seven and 14.

Around 15 of the approximately 300 people who suffered eye injuries in the state underwent eye surgeries in Bhopal, and another 15 remain under observation.

Over 50 injuries were reported from Vidisha and 56 from Gwalior. Most of the victims are children aged between seven and 14.

Just days ahead of Diwali, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had asked district magistrates and police officers across MP to prevent the sale of carbide pipe guns, but the devices were still sold rampantly in the market.

Deputy chief minister Rajendra Shukla directed district administrations to seize the existing stock and halt the sale and production of calcium carbide guns.

Also Read | Eye injuries prompt Madhya Pradesh to ban carbide guns used as firecrackers

What are carbide guns?

Carbide guns are crude, locally made explosive devices that rely on a chemical reaction and not traditional fireworks. They’re made by combining calcium carbide (a grey industrial chemical used to ripen fruits or in welding) with water inside a closed or semi-closed container such as a pipe, bottle, or tin box.

The science behind it is simple but dangerous.

When water touches calcium carbide, it produces acetylene gas, a colorless, highly flammable gas used in industrial welding.

Once trapped inside the container, this gas expands rapidly. When someone brings a flame, spark, or even friction near the opening, the gas ignites violently, producing a loud boom and sometimes a flash of fire.

Children often find this exciting during Diwali because the explosion mimics a gunshot or bomb sound, and carbide powder is easily available in local markets. But unlike regulated fireworks, carbide guns have no control over pressure or direction, which makes them unpredictable. The explosion can shatter the container, sending shards flying at high speed.

Most injuries from carbide guns are to the face and eyes, as children usually bend close to light them. Hospitals every Diwali report cases of corneal burns, retinal damage, and loss of eyesight, along with hand burns and facial cuts.

Also Read | 14 kids go blind, more hospitalised after ‘carbide’ Diwali cracker gun use in Madhya Pradesh