Authorities in India have sounded the alarm after at least 14 children were said to have lost their eyesight permanently when they were playing with homemade carbide guns during the festival of lights or Diwali celebrations.

These devices cost nearly 150 Indian Rupees and are made by mixing calcium carbide with water in a plastic or tin pipe to generate a giant blast sound.

Experts said they are closer now to chemical bombs than toys. Over a three day period, more than 120 kids were reportedly hospitalized with severe eye injuries.

This includes retinal damage, chemical burns, and trauma to the optic nerve. This is right after the device exploded all of a sudden.

Meanwhile, in the neighboring Bihar province, the capital city of Patna alone saw at least 50 kids suffering from serious eyesight damage from similar devices.

Authorities claimed that various social media platforms, such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, are to blame for fueling the craze for such devices. Viral clips showed how to make and also how to use them. In reply, local officials have chosen to launch a crackdown against such products, and so far, six arrests have been made for selling these weapons. Similarly, authorities managed to seize dozens of devices in towns like Berasia.