18-year-old Delhi biker dead after kite string slits throat

Manjha is a type of kite string that is strengthened and coated with sharp shards, making it a hazard for motorcyclists. While the sources can be diverse, a bulk of such products originates in China.

An 18-year-old man was killed on Monday afternoon when his throat was slit by a kite string while he was riding a motorcycle through a road in Timarpur, according to police who said they are now investigating if the string was of the sharp variety that has been banned for similar deaths previously.

When police reached the spot, where they found a blood-soaked string hanging from a tree. (HT Photo)

The victim was identified as Ravi Kumar, who lived in Gandhi Vihar and worked at an auto parts workshop in Anand Parbat. He had set out in the afternoon for a market nearby. He was rushed to a hospital before police reached the spot, where they found a blood-soaked string hanging from a tree.

“Prima facie it looks like a Chinese manjha. The string had blood on it. It has been preserved for a forensic examination,” said deputy commissioner of police (north) Nupur Prasad, referring to a type of kite string that is banned.

Manjha is a type of kite string that is strengthened and coated with sharp shards, making it a hazard for motorcyclists. While the sources can be diverse, a bulk of such products originates in China.

In January, 2017, the government banned sale of manjha after a spate of deaths, including that of two children who were looking out of the sunroof of their car.

Police said that the cut was so deep that the man’s windpipe was slit. The doctors said he bled to death.

“During initial probe, we have found that the locals spotted the manjha lying on the spot. They said that it was hanging from a tree. We are yet to ascertain how the manjha got stuck around Ravi’s neck and slit his throat,” an officer involved in investigations said.

Prasad said police could not spot anyone flying a kite. “Locals are being questioned to zero in on the person who had left the manjha in a careless manner that cost the man his life. A case under IPC section 304A for causing death due to negligence and under section 336 for endangering life or personal safety of others has been registered against unknown person at Timarpur police station,” she said.

Kumar is survived by his parents and five siblings. His father Ram Kishore, who used to run a road side street food stall, said he was the second eldest among four brothers and had started earning recently.