Video: 10-year-old dies in Delhi after firecracker explodes in hand, hits chest

Police said the explosion caused fatal chest injuries, killing the boy on the spot, while his family alleged that he was still alive when brought to hospital but was not given adequate treatment.

In Short

• 10-year-old boy dies after firecracker explodes in hand in Delhi's Narela
• Family alleges boy was alive on hospital arrival but doctors failed to save him
• Family claims police moved body secretly; father falls ill after news

A 10-year-old boy died after a firecracker exploded in his hand while he was bursting crackers outside his home in northwest Delhi’s Narela area on Diwali night, police said on Monday.

The boy’s family, however, alleged that he was still breathing when taken to hospital and accused the medical staff of failing to make adequate efforts to save him.

The incident occurred around 9.45 pm on Sunday, when the boy, Rishi, was bursting a hand-held 'anar; (flower-pot firecracker) outside his house after performing Diwali rituals with his family.

A video of the incident shows the boy holding the firecracker when it suddenly explodes, throwing him backwards.

According to police, the explosion caused severe injuries to his chest. Police said the hospital informed them that the boy had been brought dead with burn injuries. His body was subsequently sent for a post-mortem examination.

However, the family disputed the circumstances surrounding his death, alleging that the boy was still alive when they rushed him to Raja Harish Chandra Hospital in Narela but that doctors did not do enough to save him.

"My brother could have been saved. I know he was still breathing. They did not do anything to save him," his elder brother alleged.

He further claimed that the family was not allowed to take the boy's body and alleged that the police had moved it to an undisclosed location.

The boy's father, who had rushed to the hospital following the incident, also fell ill after being informed of his son's death, the family said.

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