New Delhi: On the day of Rakshabandhan, a young man met a tragic end when the string of a kite got stuck around his neck while on his way to meet his sister. The deceased has been identified as Vipin Kumar (35), a resident of Delhi’s Rajdhani Park. Vipin Kumar was going to his sister’s house in Loni. The death occurred as a result of being entangled in a string known as Chinese Manja, which is made by mixing glass powder and metal powder. Vipin Kumar’s wife was also there.
In 2016, a ban on such cords was imposed in Delhi after the string made by mixing glass powder and metal powder along with nylon was used to cause entanglement accidents. But it is still widely used. This is the second such death in Delhi this month.
As soon as the accident took place, Vipin Kumar’s wife and the people who came there took him to the nearby trauma center, but the doctors confirmed that he had died. The body was sent for post-mortem. The police said that they will investigate the incident.
Earlier in August, the Delhi High Court had asked the police to inform them about the action taken on the National Green Tribunal’s order banning the sale of Chinese manja. The court was considering a public interest petition filed demanding a complete ban on the sale, purchase, storage and flying of kites using this type of string. The petition was submitted pointing out that the use of such thread is a threat to birds and humans.
The Delhi government banned such strings in 2016 after two children, aged three and four, were entangled in Chinese manja and died. The accident happened to the children while they were traveling in a car. Chinese Manja, which is made by mixing glass and metal, is in great demand among kite flyers. The reason for the demand is that it is stronger than other cords and less prone to breakage.