A Diwali celebration turned tragic for a family in northwest Delhi as a 10-year-old boy died in a firecracker accident in the Narela area on November 8. The boy, whose name has been given as Rishi, suffered serious chest injuries after a firecracker exploded while he was playing with crackers outside his home. The family is now accusing the hospital of negligence.
The incident occurred around 9:45 PM in the Rajiv Colony area of Narela as Rishi was playing with firecrackers to celebrate Diwali, Delhi Police said. The boy suffered chest injuries after a flowerpot firecracker, also known as an anar, exploded in his hand.
His family rushed him to the hospital, but doctors said he had died.
However, the family said he was injured while playing with anar and skyshot crackers when a firecracker hit him in the chest. Rishi's mother, Anjali, said he suffered arterial damage after being hit in the chest and was still alive when they got to the hospital, according to a report from ANI.
The accounts of how the accident occurred differ. While Delhi Police said Rishi was holding an anar when it exploded in his hand, his mother told ANI that he was bursting anar and skyshot crackers when one struck him in the chest from behind. His elder brother also described a firecracker striking the boy in the chest. The exact circumstances of the incident have not been independently established.
The family said they weren't given suitable care by the hospital staff, Anjali said, adding that they were also threatened by the hospital staff.
Rishi's older brother, Mohit, said he wasn't given suitable care by the doctors either. He added that the doctors didn't check on him quickly enough and pronounced him dead shortly after examining him. The family asked the doctors to check on him several times as they believed he was still alive.
The family said that if Rishi had been given immediate care, he would have survived. However, police said, by the time the hospital received the boy, he had already died. The allegations have not been confirmed.
Rishi was taken to Satyawadi Raja Harish Chandra Hospital in Narela, where doctors declared him dead. The hospital's account, as reported by police, was that the child was brought dead. The family disputes this, alleging that he was still breathing when they reached the hospital.
Mohit said they had agreed for an autopsy to take place but had asked for the authorities to wait until other family members arrived. He added that the body was then moved to another hospital in Jahangirpuri without informing them or getting their signature.
He said hospital staff and police had also used force to move the body.
According to Mohit, the family was not informed about the transfer and had not provided their signatures or completed the paperwork before the body was moved. These claims were made to ANI and have not been independently verified.
Delhi Police were informed about the incident at around 10:50 PM. Police said the child suffered burn injuries after a firecracker exploded and was pronounced dead upon arrival.
According to Hindustan Times, police had not registered a case as of November 10 because the incident appeared to be accidental. Police were awaiting the post-mortem report to establish the exact cause of death.
The body was taken for an autopsy, and investigations are continuing. Police are looking into how the incident happened. Once the results of the autopsy come back, more will be known.
The family is left devastated after losing their son. The allegations they are making add another layer to the incident.
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Firecracker injuries can cause more than just burns to the hands and face. Depending on how powerful the explosion is, how close you are, and how badly you're injured, you can suffer penetrating injuries, lacerations and damage to your internal organs.
Your chest contains many vital organs, including your lungs and heart, so it can suffer serious injuries from a powerful explosion. This can cause damage to the lungs, internal bleeding or a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) or hemothorax (blood pooling between the lungs and chest wall). If you suffer serious injuries, they can become life threatening without prompt medical care.¹
Sometimes, it can be hard to determine how badly you've been injured. Injuries caused by explosions can cause damage to your lungs without any visible damage to your chest. Someone who has been exposed to an explosion may need a full clinical examination. ²
References:
1. Jorolemon, Michael R., and Parth J. Patel. “Blast Injuries.” In StatPearls. Treasure Island, FL: StatPearls Publishing, updated February 22, 2026. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430914/.
2. American College of Emergency Physicians. “Blast Lung Injury: An Overview for Prehospital Care Providers.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Blast Injury Fact Sheets. https://www.acep.org/imports/clinical-and-practice-management/resources/ems-and-disaster-preparedness/disaster-preparedness-grant-projects/cdc---blast-injury/cdc-blast-injury-fact-sheets/blast-lung-injury-an-overview-for-prehospital-care-providers.
3. Smith, Jason E., and J. Garner. “Pathophysiology of Primary Blast Injury.” Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps 165, no. 1 (2019): 57–62. https://doi.org/10.1136/jramc-2018-001058.
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