Karnataka: 48-year-old man died after his throat was slit by a deadly manja string while he was returning home on his bike. This incident occurred in Talamadagi village of Chitgoppa taluk on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Sanjukumar Gundappa Hosamani has been identified as the deceased. He was traveling to Humnabad to pick up his daughter from boarding school for the Sankranti holiday.
According to eyewitnesses, Manja string has come in contact with the rider's neck. He fell down suddenly on the road and died due to heavy bleeding. Deceased is survived by his wife, son and three daughters. Relatives have alleged that Sanjukumar's life could have been saved if an ambulance had arrived on time. Valuable time was lost waiting for help, and Sanjukumar died. Locals have expressed outrage over this negligence. Following the accident, relatives and local citizens took to the streets. They demanded a complete ban on nylon kite strings.
People say that every year many innocent lives are lost due to these deadly strings, yet the administration is not taking concrete steps. The crowd also demanded improvements in emergency services. A case has been registered at the Manna Ekheli police station. Police are investigating the matter further and have stated that action will be taken against those responsible. However, the question now arises whether mere action is enough to save the innocent lives lost every year due to kite strings.
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During Makar Sankranti, kite flying is popular in Humnabad and Chitaguppa. However, the use of manja, a dangerous glass-coated kite string, continues despite a ban due to the injuries it causes to riders and pedestrians. Manja is used to cut rival kites, a common competitive practice.