Nashik/Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A young man riding a two-wheeler died due to the nylon manja used for kites on Makar Sankranti in Nashik, police said.
Twenty-three-year-old Sonu Dhotre died on the spot after the nylon thread got stuck in his neck in the Pathardi Phata area. The accident took place while he was coming to Pathardi Phata via Devlali Vadner on a two-wheeler, police added.
Meanwhile, a police sub-inspector (PSI) was critically injured on Makar Sankranti morning when his throat was slit by a nylon manja, a banned material used for kite flying in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. The injured officer, Deepak Parde, is posted in the rural police department and was on duty when the incident occurred near Renuka Mata Kamani, police said.
The nylon string got entangled around his neck, causing him to fall and bleed. He was quickly rushed to a private hospital at Dargah Chowk where immediate surgery was performed. As of now, his condition remains critical, police added.
Despite a legal ban on nylon manja, it continues to be widely used during the Makar Sankranti festival. Vendors in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have resurfaced, selling the hazardous kite strings, which are blamed for numerous throat injuries over the past few days. Police efforts to curb the sale and use of nylon manja have proven ineffective as it continues to enter the city through secret channels.
The festival, celebrated with much enthusiasm across the city, sees residents competing to fly kites, often from rooftops. While the festivities are meant to be joyous, the use of nylon manja poses serious risks to public safety. The material, unlike traditional manja, is much sharper and can cause severe injuries. Authorities, including the Rural Superintendent of Police, have been alerted and have visited the hospital.
