Bhopal/Ratlam, Aug 9 The festive spirit of Raksha Bandhan was marred by a series of injuries caused by banned Chinese manjha — a glass powder-coated synthetic kite string — on Saturday, leaving four people wounded in three separate incidents along Jawara Road.
The most serious incident occurred around 4:45 p.m. near Ghatala Bridge, where 18-year-old Sameer Khan, son of Shakoor Khan and a resident of Bapunagar, was riding his motorcycle into the city for shopping.
A stray kite string became entangled around his neck, slicing deeply into his throat and causing profuse bleeding. Sameer Khan, who happened to be passing by, intervened by biting through the string and helping rush the youth to the district hospital with the aid of bystanders.
Doctors performed emergency surgery to repair his windpipe, and his condition remains critical. According to attending physicians, “an immediate surgical procedure could save his life.”
Earlier that afternoon, around 3:30 p.m., another couple was injured near the same bridge. Anand Gosar (25), a resident of Subhash Nagar, was en route to his in-laws’ home in Nahargarh with his wife Muskan when a kite string struck his neck, police officials said.
While attempting to remove it, Anand suffered deep lacerations to his fingers, and Muskan sustained injuries to her hand.
Due to trauma to his throat, Anand is currently unable to speak properly. In another incident, according to police sources, a young man identified as Jitendra (22), a resident of Bangrod in Ratlam district, also sustained severe injuries to his throat and is undergoing treatment at the district hospital.
Despite a formal ban on Chinese manjha by the National Green Tribunal and local administrations, its sale continues unabated during kite-flying festivals such as Raksha Bandhan and Independence Day, the police said.
“The District Collector of Ratlam has issued prohibitory orders against the sale and use of Chinese thread used in kite flying, to curb its circulation due to repeated injuries and environmental hazards,” read a government statement.
The sharp synthetic thread, outlawed for its lethal potential, once again proved its menace as it slashed throats and hands, prompting emergency medical intervention and renewed administrative action. Often coated with powdered glass or metal, the synthetic thread is prized for its strength in kite duels but has caused numerous fatalities and injuries across India.
Following Saturday’s incidents, the Ratlam district administration has launched a crackdown on sellers. Raids are underway in multiple localities to seize banned reels and penalise vendors. Officials have reiterated that the use, sale, and storage of Chinese manjha is a punishable offence under environmental and public safety laws.
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