Two children have died in India after the glass-coated string used to fly kites slashed their throats.
Both incidents happened in Delhi when the youngsters were looking out from a car’s sunroof.
In the first instance, three-year-old Sanchi Goyal was out for a drive with her parents.
As she peered out of the roof, the razor sharp thread from a nearby kite sliced through her throat.
She died in her mother’s lap, before they reached hospital.
In another case, a four-year-old boy called Harry was travelling with his parents and sister when he too looked out from the sunroof.
A kite maker works in his workshop in New Delhi
A kite maker works in his workshop in New Delhi
He was thrown back down on to the seat almost immediately, bleeding heavily from his neck after a kite string cut deep into his flesh.
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Police have registered a case against an unidentified individual, but authorities say it is very difficult to establish blame.
In recent years, cheap synthetic and nylon kite strings from China have flooded Indian markets.
The imported product is coated with powdered glass, making it both extremely sharp and strong.
The Delhi government is going to impose a ban on its sale and use, with people violating the ban facing up to five years in jail and a fine.
It is also a problem elsewhere in India. Police raided shops selling the string in the northeastern city of Rampur after a 23-year-old man, Anas Shamsi, died when his throat was sliced as he was riding his motorcycle.
The skies of Delhi and other cities are dotted with colourful kites during August as thousands of children and adults fly them.
But the pastime has become more dangerous because of “kite fights” that take place mid-air, with rivals attempting to cut through the strings of their opponents’ kites.
Animal rights activists are also concerned, calling for a ban on the flying of kites after a number of birds were killed or injured.
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