Over 100 hurt in kite-related accidents, 12 admitted with serious injuries

Jaipur: More than a hundred kite-fliers and bikers were injured across the city on Makar Sankranti Wednesday and had to be rushed to different hospitals for falls and cuts caused by abrasive kite strings.At the city's biggest trauma centre at SMS Hospital, 32 people were brought in for treatment of various injuries related to kite-flying. The number includes at least 12 children below 14 years of age with serious injuries, who had either fallen from rooftops or hurt themselves while chasing kites on the ground. The youngest to be brought in with injuries was a seven-month-old baby, who suffered a cut on the throat from a kite string.
Most of the other injured were bikers who suffered similar cuts on their faces or necks.Kite flying on Makar Sankranti is a widely popular local tradition, but the thrill of the activity is occasionally eclipsed by incidents of small mishaps and serious injuries. "I was riding pillion on my friend's motorcycle in Bais Godam when he suffered a serious cut on the nose from a kite string," said Ramesh Saini, a resident of Manak Chawk. "He received several stitches. The use of Chinese manja poses serious risks to bikers," he added.‘Manja' is a mixture of natural or artificial glues and abrasives like powdered glass that kite strings are coated with to make them resistant to snapping. ‘Chinese manja' is an imported variety made of synthetic fibres that are much stronger and more abrasive than local equivalents.Negligence while flying kites is another factor behind the numerous injuries reported Wednesday, one example of which was related by Mansaroval resident Vishal Jain, one of several attendants waiting outside the SMS Hospital trauma centre. "I came here to admit the 10-year-old son of a friend who fell from the rooftop while flying a kite," he said."Most of the injuries from kite strings were seen on heads, necks, faces and chins," said SMS Hospital trauma centre in-charge BL Yadav. "Kite strings also easily slit noses, lips and necks, and most of the people brought in today were bleeding profusely. At least 12 people were admitted with serious injuries," he added. Several kite flying-related injuries were also reported from Kanwatia Hospital, Gangori Hospital and several private hospitals across the city.