A 15-year-old boy was killed and his cousin critically injured after their motorcycle ran into a banned Chinese kite string near Chehlan village on the Ludhiana–Chandigarh highway on Saturday, once again exposing the lax enforcement of the ban on synthetic manjha.
The deceased, Taranjot Singh of Rohlan village, was returning from school with his cousin Prabhjot Singh when the sharp plastic string suddenly tightened around his neck, fatally slitting his throat. Prabhjot, who was riding pillion on the Royal Enfield motorcycle, sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at the civil hospital in Samrala. Taranjot was the only child of his parents. His father, Harchand Singh, is the sarpanch of Rohlan village.
Following the incident, villagers, family members and kisan union activists staged a protest and blocked traffic on the Ludhiana–Chandigarh road near Samrala, alleging that the police had failed to take stern action against those involved in the illegal trade of the banned kite string.
The police have registered an FIR against unidentified persons. An eyewitness said the boy was travelling on the motorcycle when a plastic kite string suddenly got entangled around his neck. “He tried to free himself, but the string tightened and slit his throat. He was bleeding profusely. Locals rushed him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead,” the witness said.
Harpal Singh, the victim’s grandfather, blamed the district administration and police for failing to curb the menace. “If the string is banned, how is it still reaching children? And why do the police have no clue about the sellers?” he asked.
Samrala station house officer Harvinder Singh, who visited the spot, confirmed the cause of death. However, when questioned about the continued availability of the banned string despite claims of strict action, he could only say that regular checks were being conducted.
In a separate incident near Haidon village, Charanjit Giri of Jonewal sustained a deep cut on his finger after getting entangled in a kite string while travelling towards the Samrala bus stand after attending a wedding. He is also being treated at the Samrala civil hospital.
Khanna senior superintendent of police Darpan Ahluwalia said the police had launched a special drive against the sale and use of plastic kite string in the Samrala subdivision on January 22. She said teams had conducted checks using drone cameras and another drive was planned for January 26. “I have requested deputy commissioner Himanshu Jain to provide compensation to the bereaved family,” the SSP added. The body has been sent for post-mortem.
In the wake of the teenager’s death, Samrala sub-divisional magistrate Rajneesh Arora has imposed a blanket ban on illegal kite flying across the sub-division. He said only traditional cotton thread will be permitted and the use of plastic or any other synthetic kite string will invite strict action. Arora said that while plastic kite string is already banned by the state government, people have begun using other synthetic threads, which are equally dangerous.
