6 Killed 176 Injured during Kite Flying in Gujarat’s Uttarayan Festival

Ahmedabad: At least six persons including three children died when their necks were slit by kite strings during Uttarayan festival in Gujarat. Around 176 were also injured during kite flying during this festival which coincides with Makar Sankranti.

Most of these incidents were reported on Saturday and Sunday when people flew kites in large numbers on terraces and fields. Manjha threads entangled around necks causing several deaths and injuries.

Two-year-old Kirti traveling with her father on a bike died when the sharp kite string slit open her throat on Sunday. In another incident, Kismat (3) walking home with her mother in Visnagar town on Saturday had her throat slit by kite thread. Seven-year-old Rishabh Verma was on his way back home to fly kite when his neck was slit by a string in Rajkot.

According to the police, similar incidents were reported in Vadodara, Kutch and Gandhinagar districts, where three men lost their lives.