Delhi: 10-year-old boy dies after firecracker explodes in his hand in Narela

A 10-year-old boy died after a firecracker he was bursting exploded in his hand outside his house in northwest Delhi's Narela area, police said on Monday.

Boy dies after firecracker explodes during Diwali celebrations

The incident took place around 9.45 pm amid Diwali festivities on Sunday, when the boy was bursting a hand-held 'anar' (flower-pot firecracker) in front of his house.

A purported video of the incident shows the child holding the firecracker in his hand when it suddenly explodes. The impact was powerful, throwing him backwards.

The explosion caused injuries to his chest, following which he died on the spot, police said.

Hospital says boy was brought dead, family alleges negligence

While the hospital has claimed that he was brought dead, the family claims he was still breathing and that the hospital did not do enough to save him.

Police received information from the hospital around 10.50 pm that the child had been brought dead with burn injuries sustained in a firecracker incident. His body was sent for post-mortem, they said.

Boy's brother alleges hospital failed to save him

The boy's elder brother alleged that despite being rushed to the hospital, adequate efforts were not made to save him.

"He was my younger brother. He was bursting a firecracker when it happened. We took him to the hospital, but the staff did not do much to save him. My father's health also started deteriorating," he said.

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

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