Children account for nearly half of the Deepavali eye injury cases at a Hyderabad hospital

Patients injured in firecracker-related incidents during Deepavali celebrations are being treated at Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hyderabad on November 9, 2026. Photo credit: Siddhant Thakur

Nine-year-old Mokshit was waiting in the Burns Unit at the government-run Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital in Hyderabad, hoping to know if he would need surgery after a firecracker exploded and shrapnel hit his eye. The boy, who was brought from Bhadrachalam, was among 10 patients admitted to the hospital after an eye injury caused by a firecracker during Deepavali celebrations.

“My son burst a firecracker when suddenly a part of it flew off and hit him in the eye. We took him to a local hospital in Bhadrachalam where doctors said he might need surgery and advised us to take him to Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital. We traveled all the way here and now we are waiting for the doctors to examine him and decide on the next course of treatment,” said his mother, who accompanied him with her husband Laksh.

Mokshit’s case is one of several cases of children that have been reported at the hospital, with nearly half of the patients treated for firecracker-related eye injuries during Deepavali being minors. Of the 60 patients that the hospital received during the two days (November 7 and 8) of the festival, 29 were children and 31 were adults.

Dr. Modini Pandharpurkar, superintendent of Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital, said the hospital saw a similar number of cases to the same period last year and treated 54 patients. She expected the numbers to increase in the next two to three days as more patients from the districts are likely to arrive in Hyderabad for treatment.

Of the 60 patients, 21 sustained severe injuries, while 39 were classified as minor injuries. Ten patients required hospital admission. Eight of them were scheduled for surgery, while the remaining two did not require surgery but would undergo an emergency examination under anesthesia, said Dr. Pandharpurkar.

She also pointed out that several patients were innocent bystanders who sustained injuries while walking on roads or standing near places where firecrackers were set off. A range of firecrackers, including bullet bombs, mirchi bombs and rockets, were among the types associated with injuries reported this year, Dr added. Pandharpurkar.

Published – November 9, 2026 10:29 AM IST