3 cases in 3 days: Kite strings leave another man injured

Lucknow: Another case of injury from kite string was reported in the state capital when a contractual worker suffered serious cuts to his face and neck while heading to work in Gomtinagar Extension on Thursday evening. The injured, identified as Sudhir Kumar, immediately stopped his motorcycle after Chinese manjha got tangled around him. Passers-by helped remove the thread and rushed him to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, where he was given first aid and later discharged. Doctors at the hospital said Kumar had a deep cut on his neck when he arrived in the evening. The wound was treated and bandaged. They added that the injury could have proved fatal had the cut been deeper.The incident was the third such case reported in the city in the span of three days. Earlier, on Feb 5, a retired soldier sustained cuts on his cheek and lip after a kite string struck him on Shaheed Path. He required around 30 stitches. A day earlier, on Feb 4, a man, the father of two daughters, died in the Old City after a kite string slit his throat while he was on his way to work. Residents said that despite the ban, Chinese manjha continued to be sold openly, posing a serious risk to motorcyclists and pedestrians. A local resident, Akash Kumar, said people frequently flew kites from vacant land in the area. He added that manjha-related injuries had become common, with two to three commuters getting injured almost every day. Residents demanded regular enforcement drives and strict action against sellers and flyers.