India, Oct. 30 -- For seven-year-old Kartik from Rohini, Diwali was meant to be about fun and fireworks. Instead, he is now recovering from a severe eye injury caused by a "carbide gun", a dangerous toy popularised through viral social media videos. Kartik's father, Rahul (30), said he bought the device for Rs.300 from a cracker shop, unaware of its risks. "The seller said it could be reused, so I thought it was an adorable and harmless device. But that cheap toy has now cost my child his eyesight," he said, sitting beside his son at AIIMS Delhi, where doctors confirmed his corneal damage after the gun exploded near his face.

In another case, 11-year-old Lucky from Faridabad lost vision in both eyes after his father, Jitendar Kumar, 35, ...