Bengaluru, Nov 1: Over 40 people sustained eye and burn injuries due to crackers during Deepavali in two days this year in the city, hospital authorities said on Friday.

The government run Minto Ophthalmic Hospital reported six cases of eye injuries till 2 pm on Friday and five among them were children. The Victoria Hospital reported four cases of burn injuries, they said.

The city's Narayana Nethralaya said the hospital witnessed a significant increase in firecracker-induced eye injuries.

"From October 31st to November 1st (until 11 am), a total of 15 patients with firecracker-related eye injuries were reported," said Dr Rohit Shetty, Chairman of Narayana Nethralaya.

The injuries ranged from mild corneal abrasions to severe cases involving hyphema and epithelial defects, he said.

Shankara Eye Hospital reported two severe cases on the day of Deepavali (Thursday) and 12 cases today, a hospital official said.

Four cases of eye injuries were reported in Shekar Eye hospital from October 31 and November 1 till 5 pm. This includes cases of 13-year-old boy for corneal abrasion and that of a seven-year-old boy due to chemical injury caused due to crackers, the official said.

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Police said they has registered 56 cases of firecracker regulation violations in the city from October 31 to November 1 during the Deepawali this year.

In accordance with the Supreme Court directives, bursting of firecracker was permitted only between 8 pm and 10 pm during Deepavali.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Agra, Dec 23: A truck driver dragged two people for about 300 metres in Agra under his vehicle, police on Monday said.

Some locals forced the driver to stop the truck and extricated the men from under the vehicle.

Police arrested the driver and seized the truck.

The two men, both residents of Nunhai in Agra, were going towards Rambagh from Waterworks when they met with an accident around 11 pm Sunday.

The driver, instead of stopping the truck sped up, trapping both of them underneath, police said.

"In the accident, two youths were dragged by a canter driver for about 300 metres. Later, some residents saved the youths by stopping the driver using force," Chhatta Police Station Inspector Pramod Kumar told PTI.

"The youths were sent for treatment at a nearby hospital and are still being treated, but are in stable condition. The youths were from Agra. The canter driver was arrested and the canter seized after the incident," he said.

A video of the incident that surfaced on social media showed the men shouting for help.

The video was purported to have been shot by a person passing by on a two-wheeler.