A two-year-old boy died after a firecracker exploded inside his mouth while he was playing with other children in Chhattisgarh's Surguja district, police said on Friday.
The incident occurred on the morning of November 9 in Navapara village under Sitapur police station limits. The children were bursting 'lehsun' (garlic-shaped) pop-pop crackers when the boy, identified as Aditya, picked up a small packet from the ground and put it in his mouth, his father said.
The cracker exploded inside his mouth, injuring his gums and causing bleeding.
"Aditya succumbed to his injuries at a private hospital in Ambikapur, the district headquarters, on November 11 night. An accidental death report has been registered. Further investigation is underway," a police official said.
Aditya's father, Indrajit Manjhi said the family did not see which firecracker the child had put in his mouth, but other children who were present at the spot informed them about the incident.
Doctors who conducted the post-mortem examination also found traces of firecracker material inside the child's throat, he added.
A 'lehsun' cracker is designed to explode on impact due to friction or pressure when thrown on the ground.
(With inputs from PTI)
