Tragedy Strikes During Makar Sankranti Festivities
The festive joy of Makar Sankranti turned into a nightmare for two families. A banned Chinese manja, or glass-coated kite string, claimed the life of a young boy in Jaipur. The same dangerous material caused serious injuries to a man in Mumbai.
Six-Year-Old Boy Loses Life in Jaipur
Six-year-old Dheer Sanganeria from Andheri, Mumbai, was visiting his maternal grandparents in Jaipur to celebrate Makar Sankranti on January 14. The tragedy unfolded during a car ride. Dheer opened the sun roof to watch kites flying in the sky.
His maternal grandfather, industrialist JD Maheshwari, expressed the family's shock and distress. Maheshwari told reporters they were too distraught to discuss the incident in detail. Dheer was the only child of Maheshwari's daughter.
Family friend Girraj Khandelwal provided details of the accident. "Dheer and his father were on an outing," Khandelwal said. "The boy opened the sun roof to watch kites. While looking up, the string of a snapped kite slit his throat."
Dheer's father rushed him to multiple hospitals before reaching SMS Hospital. Doctors declared the boy dead on arrival. The family has organized a condolence meeting in Andheri.
Mumbai Man Narrowly Escapes Death
In a separate incident, 45-year-old Bharat Kadam from Borivli faced a similar danger. Kadam was riding his motorcycle to work in Santacruz on Wednesday afternoon. He was passing near Andheri Flyover on the Western Express Highway when Chinese manja struck him.
Andheri police registered the incident and launched an investigation. Officers seized the manja to trace the shop that sold it. Police confirmed Kadam sustained deep cuts on both sides of his neck. Fortunately, the string missed his windpipe.
An officer from Andheri police station described the accident. "Kadam's neck was slashed by manja entangled around a light pole on the flyover," the officer said. "His family reported the incident occurred at 1:30 PM after he left home following lunch."
After the attack, Kadam left his motorcycle on the flyover. He immediately called his wife and brother Santosh to alert them. Kadam then took an auto rickshaw to VN Desai Hospital in Santacruz East. Doctors performed surgery, and Kadam is now recovering.
Kadam's brother Santosh informed police about the medical treatment. "My brother underwent surgery and received multiple stitches," Santosh said. "He is out of danger now." Traffic police removed the stuck manja from the flyover and handed it over to investigating officers.
Widespread Impact of Dangerous Kite Strings
This kite flying season has seen multiple casualties across Jaipur. Authorities reported three deaths and over 150 injuries during the festival. Not all fatalities resulted from Chinese manja, but the banned string caused significant harm.
SMS Hospital's trauma center admitted at least thirty patients for treatment related to kite string injuries. The impact extended beyond human casualties. More than one hundred birds suffered injuries or death from the abrasive, glass-coated strings.
The incidents highlight the ongoing danger posed by illegal Chinese manja. Despite bans, the deadly kite string continues to cause tragedies during festive seasons. Both families affected by these recent incidents hope their stories will prevent future accidents.
