How banned Chinese kite strings are still killing children, families in India this festive season

In one of the most tragic incidents, three members of a family, including a seven-year-old girl, were killed in Gujarat’s Surat district after a Chinese manja caused their two-wheeler to crash during Makar Sankranti celebrations.

The tragedy unfolded when Rehan was riding a scooter with his wife Rehana and daughter Aisha on the Chandrashekhar Azad Flyover. According to reports, the manja suddenly wrapped around Rehan’s neck. As he tried to remove it with one hand, he lost control of the vehicle.

The scooter slammed into the flyover’s wall before plunging nearly 70 feet to the ground.

Rehana initially survived after landing on the roof of a parked autorickshaw below the flyover. She was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to her injuries. Their daughter died on the spot.

Another fatal incident was reported from Surat’s Jahangirpura area, where an eight-year-old girl lost her life after her neck was slit by Chinese manja during kite-flying celebrations.

In Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, a doctor was killed after a manja struck his neck while he was travelling. Witnesses told India Today that the string cut so deeply that it severed his neck.

Similar incidents have also been reported from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, leaving several people injured.

Despite being banned across multiple states, Chinese manja continues to be widely available, locals alleged, easily procured by kite enthusiasts. Authorities and police have repeatedly warned against the use of the illegal strings, but the deadly practice resurfaces every year, turning festive celebrations into scenes of tragedy.