Celebrations turn sour for families of 161 people

“The patient is not responding to light. We will be able to comment on his condition only after a surgery on Monday,” a doctor at PGI said.

Most of the patients were discharged after treatment. “A majority of the cases were minor in nature and were given first-aid. There have been no admissions at GMSH-16,” said Dr N K Arora,Medical Superintendent at GMSH-16.

At GMCH-32,14-year-old Kurukshetra resident Kuldeep is still admitted with a severe injury in the eye.

This year,the number of people injured in Diwali celebrations was slightly higher than last year when 145 victims were reported.

Like in previous years,several victims were onlookers. “I was adjusting lights on my terrace when a rocket hit my eye. I was in severe pain when my family rushed me to PGI around 2.30 am,” 22-year-old Ram Gulshan,who lives in Ludhiana,said. “The celebrations at home were affected,but I am relieved that after surgery my vision would be restored.”

At PGI’s Eye department,patients kept pouring in till Sunday afternoon. Ten-year-old Ansh from Chandigarh and 32-year-old Om Prakash from Bilaspur were among those who received serious eye injuries and were operated upon.

74 eye,87 burn injuries this Diwali
* At PGI,35 eye,1 burn injury
* At GMCH-32,12 eye,24 burn injuries
* At GMSH-16,27 eye,62 burn injuries; four cases referred to PGI
* Around 150 injury cases were reported last Diwali