A 10-year-old boy wounded his left eye while playing with arrows made by a mustard plant shoot along with friends, inspired by the 1980s TV serial Ramayan, whose reruns are being shown now.

The incident took place on Saturday afternoon at Parha Toli, a village around 30km from the district headquarters under Mahaudand block of Latehar, 100km from Ranchi.

Ophthalmologist Dr Bharti Kashyap said that the boy, Shivam, a grocer’s son, was treated at her hospital, the Kashyap Memorial Eye Hospital in Ranchi.

“The cornea, natural lens and retina of the boy's left eye had got damaged. He had a cornea cut injury with a cataractous lens. Our cornea and eye translation expert Dr Nidhi Gadkar Kashyap repaired the cornea and removed the cataract in a surgery on Monday. He can see now but his vision will become clearer after secondary lens implantation in a month,” Dr Kashyap said.

Government ophthalmic assistant Sanju Kumari referred Shivam’s case to her, Dr Kashyap said.

Asked how the boy reached her hospital during lockdown, she said: “His father reached the community health centre, where ophthalmic assistant Sanju Kumar advised him to come to us. With the help of a government ambulance (helpline 108), the boy reached the hospital on Sunday and on Monday morning his operation was performed. He was released the same evening.

“As the family has the Ayushman Card, the boy’s father did not have to pay from his pocket,” Dr Kashyap said.

The boy said that he and his friends got the idea of making bows and arrows from the serial Ramayan.

Dr Kashyap said parents should be alert. “Serials like the Ramayan and Mahabharata teach children about our great culture but also give children the idea of playing with bows, arrows and maces. Parents should be alert,” the doctor said.