Six persons, three of whom were children, died at a celebration in India after having their throats cut open by kite strings.
Over the weekend, hundreds of people participated in the International Kite Festival, flying their kites during the hazardous competitions from rooftops and balconies.
However, some of the kite cords wrapped around the necks of six victims as the revellers were flying their kites.
According to authorities, around 200 individuals also suffered cuts and falls while flying kites during mid-air duels at the Uttarayan festival in the western state of Gujarat.
The six fatalities, including two young girls (ages 2 and 3) and a boy (7 years old), perished after the razor-sharp cords used by the “kite fighters” during the mid-air duels became wrapped around their necks and severed their throats.
A kite thread wrapped around two-year-old Kirti’s neck and slashed her throat as she rode a two-wheeler with her father through the city of Bhavnagar. An official told NDTV that the toddler passed away despite being rushed to the hospital immediately.
The throat of Kismat, a three-year-old girl from Visnagar, was slashed by a kite’s string in another horrifying event as she walked home with her mother.
In the city of Rajkot, seven-year-old Rishabh Verma was slain in front of his parents after having his neck sliced by a kite string.
According to the police, kite strings during the well-known celebration also claimed the lives of three men in the Gujarati districts of Vadodara, Kutch, and Gandhinagar: Swamiji Yadav, 35; Narendra Vaghela, 20; and Ashwin Gadhvi.
According to officials, 130 people also received cuts, while a further 46 people were hurt after falling from a height while flying kites throughout the state on January 15th Saturday and 16th Sunday.
Threads can be very dangerous and can cut very deep into one’s skin. It is advisable to keep it away from children’s reach.
