Makar Sankranti, a festival celebrated with vibrant kite-flying traditions, was marred by tragedy this year as the banned Chinese manja claimed at least three lives across India on Wednesday. The razor-sharp, glass-coated kite string, though outlawed, continues to be widely used, resulting in fatal accidents in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
In Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur, Dr. Sameer Hashmi, a 28-year-old doctor, bled to death after the Chinese manja sliced his throat. Hashmi was riding his bike from Jaunpur city when the deadly string tightened around his neck near a public school. Despite being rushed to the district hospital, he could not survive the injury. This is the second such death in Jaunpur within a month, following the death of a school teacher, Sandeep Tripathi, in a similar incident on December 11. Police are urging the public to report illegal sellers and users of the banned string, but its online availability remains a challenge.
Telangana witnessed the death of Avadhesh Kumar, a 38-year-old migrant worker from Lakhimpur district in UP. Kumar had just arrived in Sangareddy district for farm work when the Chinese manja, stretched across a village road, slit his neck as he rode a motorcycle to a market. He was declared dead upon arrival at a government hospital. His 19-year-old son, who traveled with him, has filed a police complaint.
In northern Karnataka, Sanjiva Kumar, a 48-year-old gram panchayat worker from Bambulagi village, died on a flyover near Talamadagi in Bidar district. Kumar was on his way to bring his 16-year-old daughter home from a residential school for Sankranti when the Chinese manja cut his neck. He managed to call his daughter after the incident but succumbed to his injuries. Videos circulating online showed Kumar bleeding profusely and attempting to call his family, sparking public outrage. Locals alleged that the ambulance arrived late, contributing to his death.
The use of Chinese manja has sparked serious safety concerns, with authorities struggling to enforce the ban. The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed that deaths caused by Chinese manja be registered as culpable homicide, and parents of minors using the string will be held accountable. In Indore, a 45-year-old man, Raghubir Dhakad, died earlier this week after his throat was slit by the banned string.
The deadly kite string, often nearly invisible, poses a significant threat to two-wheeler riders, pedestrians, and birds. Police have urged caution during festive occasions in kite-flying areas. Despite continued drives and seizures, the illegal sale and use of Chinese manja persist, casting a shadow over the Makar Sankranti celebrations.
