During the recent Diwali celebrations in Madhya Pradesh, a social media-driven craze involving carbide guns spiraled into a significant public health crisis, resulting in nearly 200 injuries across the state. In response, the Madhya Pradesh government has imposed a ban on the sale, purchase, and storage of carbide pipe guns, acknowledging that authorities were unprepared to handle the scale of the problem despite prior warnings dating back to 2023.
Carbide guns, traditionally used by farmers as a method to scare away monkeys, gained sudden popularity on social media platforms. This online attention encouraged many individuals, particularly children and families, to experiment with these devices during Diwali festivities. Unfortunately, the result was a surge in injuries, including severe ocular trauma, prompting urgent government action.
Officials within the Bhopal administration have admitted that the government machinery was ill-equipped to address this emerging threat. Resources were stretched thin in the weeks leading up to Diwali, with many Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and their teams occupied with routine government events and responsibilities. This left limited capacity for targeted enforcement or public education campaigns concerning the dangers posed by carbide guns.
A government source explained that, historically, the number of injuries related to carbide guns had been low, leading to a lack of urgency in addressing the issue. While authorities had taken steps to regulate licensed sellers of firecrackers, the fragmented nature of carbide gun sales posed a challenge. Many small-scale, unlicensed operators—some producing only a handful of devices—escaped regulatory scrutiny. Moreover, there was no concerted effort to analyze how children were engaging with social media content that glorified or encouraged the use of these hazardous devices.
In light of the recent injuries, the state government issued a formal ban on carbide guns on the night of Thursday, instructing SDMs to conduct personal inspections of retail and wholesale firecracker outlets. Officials have already filed at least six First Information Reports (FIRs) in the Bhopal region for violations of this ban. Police investigations are underway to track down manufacturers and assess whether safety protocols were followed during the production and distribution of these devices.
The ban is codified under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and prohibits the use of carbide guns not only during Diwali but also during other festive occasions such as Gyaras, New Year celebrations, and wedding functions.
When questioned about whether the government’s response was delayed, Bhopal Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh emphasized that incidents involving carbide guns had not been reported in previous years to an extent that warranted a ban. Singh noted that on October 9, prior to Diwali, authorities had already issued directives and conducted checks with licensed firecracker vendors. However, the predominant issue was that many people were crafting their own carbide guns by following instructions found on YouTube and other online platforms. Additionally, small vendors who sold firecrackers only in the days immediately preceding Diwali also dealt in these devices, making enforcement scattered and difficult.
Raids conducted on October 9, based on intelligence inputs, recovered 55 carbide guns from shops located in areas such as Anand Nagar, Nishatpura, Chhola, and Berasia. These guns were not sold in prominent market areas but rather in small, often overlooked hamlets. This decentralized distribution network further complicated efforts to curb the spread of these dangerous devices.
The Collector stressed the importance of public education, underscoring that since carbide guns can be homemade, merely banning sales is insufficient without raising awareness about the risks involved. “It’s important to educate the people since these devices can be made at home,” he said, indicating that future efforts would focus heavily on prevention through awareness.
Health officials had in fact been aware of the risks posed by carbide guns since 2023. A research study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in Bhopal had documented five cases involving males from Khargone district who suffered vision-threatening eye injuries due to carbide guns. The study highlighted that these injuries resulted from a combination of factors including lack of public awareness about the risks, improper handling of the devices, and poor design quality, which made the guns unpredictable and dangerous.
The researchers warned that the easy availability of inexpensive, ready-made carbide guns and raw materials increased the risk of injury, especially among youngsters. They recommended generating public awareness about the potential hazards and imposing restrictions on the widespread, unlicensed sale of both calcium