Cracker injuries darkenfestival of lights'; many hospitalised in Karnataka

October 31, 2016

Bengaluru, Oct 31: Despite awareness drives regarding precautions to be taken while bursting crackers, the eye hospitals in major cities of Karnataka witnessed a steady stream of patients, mostly minors, with some sustaining serious injuries.

For the family of ten-year-old Varun from Chikkaballapur Chintamani, this Diwali turned out to be a nightmare. Varun was rushed to Minto hospital on Sunday afternoon, after he sustained injuries on both eyes.

He got injured while bursting crackers outside his house, after cracker particles entered both the eyes. According to Minto hospital authorities his condition was serious and has been hospitalised.

A ten-year-old girl Dharini too was admitted at Minto Hospital for a major eye injury. For 39-year-old Kavitha, her decision to take a stroll near her house in Kallahalli proved costly, as she was admitted to Minto hospital with a major eye injury.

There were at least 28 cases of firecracker-related injuries, ranging from minor burns to potentially permanent eye injuries, during Diwali celebrations in Bengaluru city alone.

Minto Eye Hospital saw four cracker-related injuries; three of those were children, one as young as 3. All were minor cases, with patients receiving out-patient care.

Twenty persons were treated for minor burns at Narayana Nethralaya in Ra jajinagar. Two kids were brought to MC Modi Charitable Eye Hospital in Mahalakshmipuram. Samprathi Eye Hospital and Squint Centre treated a five-year-old boy who injured his eyelid.

A majority of those injured were bystanders, indicating that firecrackers were burst on the streets, and not in demarcated safe areas.

Humans were not the only ones affected by crackers. Animals too suffered burns and hearing loss, stray dogs in particular. The Happy Paws Foundation rescued six crows from across the city, who had been burnt by crackers. While five are out of danger, one is critical. The foundation will travel around the city, locating and treating injured animals.

Comments

Wen diwali comes we should expect some losses of money and life... thats for sure... Wasting money and life.

When people are far from God.. they tend believe in every superstitious rituals..

All those, who play with the fire crackers and cause pollution deserve punishment.

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

QR-code tips power Mangaluru's major drug bust: 25 arrested in 2 weeks

News Network

December 16,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 16: The Mangaluru City police have significantly escalated their campaign against drug trafficking, arresting 25 individuals and booking 12 cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act between November 30 and December 13. The crackdown resulted in the seizure of a substantial quantity of illicit substances, including 685.6 grams of MDMA and 1.5 kg of ganja.

The success of this recent drive has been significantly boosted by the city’s innovative, QR code-based anonymous reporting system.

"The anonymous reporting system has received an encouraging response. Several recent arrests were made based on inputs received through this system, helping police tighten the noose around drug peddlers," said the City Police Commissioner.

The latest arrests contribute to a robust year-to-date record, underscoring the police's relentless commitment to combating the drug menace.

Up to December 14 this year, the police have registered a total of 107 cases of drug peddling, leading to the arrest of 219 peddlers. Furthermore, they have booked 562 cases of drug consumption, resulting in the arrest of 671 individuals.

The scale of the seizure for the year reflects the magnitude of the problem being tackled: police have seized 320.6 kg of ganja worth ₹88.7 lakh and 1.4 kg of MDMA valued at ₹1.2 crore. Other significant seizures include hydro-weed ganja worth ₹94.7 lakh and cocaine worth ₹1.9 lakh, among others.

The Commissioner emphasized a policy of rigorous enforcement: "We ensure that peddlers are caught red-handed so that they cannot later dispute the case or claim innocence."

To counter the rising trend of substance abuse among youth, the Mangaluru City police have rolled out uniform guidelines for random drug testing across educational institutions.

As part of the drive, tests were conducted in approximately 100 institutions, screening an estimated 5,500 to 6,000 students in the first phase. 20 students tested positive for drug consumption during the initial screening.

Students who tested positive have been provided counselling and are scheduled for re-testing in the second quarter. The testing will also be expanded to students not covered in the first phase. In a move to ensure strict implementation, police personnel were deployed in mufti in some institutions. Reiterating a zero-tolerance stance, the Commissioner confirmed that random testing will continue, and colleges have also been instructed to conduct drug tests at the time of admission to deter substance abuse from an early stage.

Comments