Bengaluru: A 48-year-old man died on Wednesday, January 14, after the deadly Chinese manja caused a deep cut on his neck while he was riding his bike near the Talamadagi village bridge in Karnataka’s Bidar district.
Videos shared on the internet show him lying in a pool of blood as he tries to make a call to his daughter. The deceased, identified as Sanjukumar Gundappa Hosamani, was reportedly travelling to Humnabad to bring his daughter home from a hostel for the Sankranti festival break.
The incident occurred in Chitguppa when the glass-laced kite string hanging across the road got entangled around Hosamani’s neck while he was riding his motorcycle. The string slit his throat, leading him to fall on the road and bleed heavily. He died on the spot due to heavy bleeding.
His body has been shifted to a government hospital for post-mortem examination. A case has been registered at the Manna Ekhelli Police Station, and further investigation is underway.
Locals protest, claim ambulance arrived late
Meanwhile, locals and relatives of Hosamani, a resident of Bambulgi village in Bidar taluk, took to the streets and staged a protest against the authorities, demanding action against the use of Chinese manja.
They alleged that although an ambulance was called, it arrived late, leading to his death due to excessive blood loss
In response, gram panchayat authorities made a public announcement in the area, urging people not to use such nylon strings while flying kites.
Every year, Sankranti is marked by injuries and deaths caused by the sharp kite string, which can severely injure one upon contact. The increasing use of the string has raised serious safety concerns in the region. These strings are difficult to see, extremely sharp and have led to fatal accidents involving two-wheeler riders, pedestrians, birds and stray dogs during the festival.
(With inputs from agencies)
