Chandigarh: Over 180 suffer eye injuries, burns on Diwali

This Diwali, celebrations took a tragic turn for a 12-year-old boy from Hisar, Haryana, who sustained a severe eye injury in a firecracker accident and is currently receiving treatment at PGIMER’s Advanced Eye Centre.

Similarly, nearly 60 patients arrived at tricity hospitals with eye injuries and more than 120 were treated for burns on Diwali night.

Nirmal Singh, a distressed father from Hisar, shared the heartbreaking ordeal his family faced when his 12-year-old son sustained a serious eye injury.

“On Thursday evening, around 6 pm, kids were bursting crackers in the neighbourhood. Someone placed a firecracker inside a glass bottle, which exploded and caused significant damage to my son’s cornea,” Nirmal said.

Doctors at PGIMER’s Advanced Eye Centre in Chandigarh performed emergency surgery, and while the prognosis remains hopeful, the family faces a long road to recovery.

“I want these crackers to be banned strictly. They can lead to serious consequences,” he added, voicing a plea for greater action to prevent such incidents.

A similar tragedy struck Satish Kumar’s family in Bijnaur, Uttar Pradesh. His five-year-old son, who is studying in class UKG, was injured while bursting crackers, with the incident leaving the child’s vision severely impaired. The child was brought to PGIMER for treatment.

“The vision in his eye is almost gone,” Satish explained sorrowfully, sharing that doctors performed surgery, but the outcome remains uncertain.

In anticipation of Diwali-related injuries, PGIMER’s Advanced Eye Centre had activated emergency protocols from October 30 to November 2, ensuring that a full medical team specialising in retina, cornea, glaucoma, and oculoplasty was on standby for cracker injuries. A team of at least six doctors, including one consultant, 4-5 junior and senior residents, with other paramedical staff was put on duty.

During this period, 21 patients were treated for eye injuries, with 12 of them being children under 14 years old, including a three-year-old girl. PGIMER also handled five severe burn cases, including an 18-month-old boy with 30% burns and a 16-year-old girl who suffered 50-55% burns.

Statistics show that 57% of cracker-related eye injury patients were children, with the youngest cases being bystanders or observers. In 2023, 23 cases were reported with eye injuries in 48 hours and 28 cases in 2022.

Diwali-related injuries were reported across the region, including Chandigarh’s GMCH-32 and GMSH-16, which together managed dozens of burn and eye injury cases.

At Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, eight cases of eye injuries and 20 burn injuries were reported. While two eye injury patients were admitted, six were discharged, and for burn injuries, 19 patients were discharged while one was referred to PGIMER.

At Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, there were 53 burn cases and 27 eye injuries. Civil Hospital, Manimajra, handled 24 burn injuries and four eye injuries, Civil Hospital, Sector 22, recorded 12 burn injuries, and Civil Hospital, Sector 45, reported 39 burn injuries and three eye injuries.

In Mohali, the Phase 6 civil hospital reported a total of 15 minor burn cases, including nine males, five children and one female. As many as 33 minor burn cases were also reported at the civil hospital in Sector 6, Panchkula.