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Diwali: Major hospitals in Delhi report cases of burns; not many complaints of respiratory issues

Despite the worsening of air pollution, no major increase in cases of respiratory distress were reported at hospitals

delhiFifteen people, including several children, were admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital with burn injuries during Diwali celebrations on Monday and early Tuesday, according to hospital records (File Photo)

Hospitals in the city reported several dozen cases of burns linked to the bursting of firecrackers on Diwali, including some that caused major injuries.

Despite the worsening of air pollution, no major increase in cases of respiratory distress were reported at hospitals. Senior doctors at several government and private hospitals, however, said they expected complaints of respiratory issues to increase over the next few days.

Sixty cases of burns linked to Diwali festivities were reported at AIIMS Delhi over Sunday and Monday, including 33 cases on Diwali night (Monday). Eleven cases of major burns were reported during this period.

On Tuesday, a senior doctor at the hospital said: “We’ve seen 110 patients so far today, and we will be operating on 20 patients.”

Fifteen people, including several children, were admitted to Lok Nayak Hospital with burn injuries during Diwali celebrations on Monday and early Tuesday, according to hospital records. All patients were referred to the Burns and Plastic Department after examination.

Outside the hospital’s burns ward, families recounted how festival celebrations had gone wrong for them, with severe consequences in some cases. A man who gave his name as Munazil said a cracker that had seemed to be unlit had gone off in the hand of his 9-year-old nephew Sahil.

“He (Sahil) thought all of them had burst. But the fuse of one of the crackers was still burning, and it exploded in his hand,” Munazil said.

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Naresh Kumar, who said he lives in Ghaziabad, said his son suffered burns while lighting a skyshot. “My elder son took the skyshot from his younger brother. It burst in his hand before he could throw it,” Kumar said. “These days, the quality of firecrackers is poor and unpredictable,” he said.

None of these cases was serious, however, a doctor at Lok Nayak Hospital said. “We did not see any major burn cases; most of those who came in had minor to moderate burns,” the doctor said.

At Safdarjung Hospital, a total 129 cases of firecracker burns were reported on Sunday and Monday. Of the 113 cases of burns that were reported on Diwali, 103 were due to crackers, hospital authorities said. Ninety eight cases were treated in the Outpatients Department, while 15 people were admitted.

Devansh Mittal is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in the New Delhi City bureau. He reports on urban policy, civic governance, and infrastructure in the National Capital Region, with a growing focus on housing, land policy, transport, and the disruption economy and its social implications. Professional Background Education: He studied Political Science at Ashoka University. Core Beats: His reporting focuses on policy and governance in the National Capital Region, one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world. He covers housing and land policy, municipal governance, urban transport, and the interface between infrastructure, regulation, and everyday life in the city. Recent Notable Work His recent reporting includes in-depth examinations of urban policy and its on-ground consequences: An investigation into subvention-linked home loans that documented how homebuyers were drawn into under-construction projects through a “builder–bank” nexus, often leaving them financially exposed when delivery stalled. A detailed report on why Delhi’s land-pooling policy has remained stalled since 2007, tracing how fragmented land ownership, policy design flaws, and mistrust among stakeholders have kept one of the capital’s flagship urban reforms in limbo. A reported piece examining the collapse of an electric mobility startup and what it meant for women drivers dependent on the platform for livelihoods. Reporting Approach Devansh’s work combines on-ground reporting with analysis of government data, court records, and academic research. He regularly reports from neighbourhoods, government offices, and courtrooms to explain how decisions on housing, transport, and the disruption economy shape everyday life in the city. Contact X (Twitter): @devanshmittal_ Email: devansh.mittal@expressindia.com ... Read More

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