Flying kites turns tragic, claims lives of 9

Hyderabad: The Makar Sankranti celebrations proved fatal and turned gloomy for some families in the State as at least nine persons lost their lives in incidents related to kite flying during the festivities.

These people lost their lives either due to electrocution, falling from the rooftops, or to the dreaded ‘Chinese manja’. A boy named Bhuvan Sai fell from the fourth floor while flying a kite in Yapral. The seriously injured boy was rushed to the hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment. A young man also died while flying kites in Appral at Bollaram.

Similarly, in Madhura Nagar, a youth identified as Chauhan Dev (23) died on the spot after he fell from a five-storey building. In another incident in Alwal, Akash (20), who was working as an ASI in the Alwal police station, died after he accidentally tripped from the top of a building while flying a kite. On receiving information, Petbasheerabad police registered a case and started an investigation.

According to the police, he fell from the terrace of his fifth-floor apartment while flying a kite and died on the spot. On Sunday, Subrahmanyam (30) died of electrocution while flying a kite on the terrace of a two-storey house in Jogipet town of Sangareddy district. The police said he came in contact with a high-tension wire while flying the kite and fell from the building. His wife, Chamundeswari Devi, also sustained injuries while trying to save him. The couple was shifted to Sangareddy, but Subrahmanyam succumbed on the way. His wife was undergoing treatment.

Earlier, two more children in the city lost their lives while flying a kite. In the first incident, Tanishq (11) from Attapur died due to electrocution while flying a kite on Saturday. He was flying a kite on the rooftop of an apartment along with his friends. According to the police, he came in contact with the high-tension electric wires and died on the spot. The police booked a case of negligence against the owners of the apartment.

In the second incident, K Shiva (13), a student at a government school in Nagole, fell from the terrace of a four-storey building while flying a kite. He fell on the asbestos roof of an adjoining house and suffered grievous injuries. He was taken to a private hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment.

A boy was also injured when he came in contact with a live electric wire while flying a kite in Nagarkurnool. He has been shifted to Hyderabad for treatment.

In Langer Houz, an Indian Army soldier (Naik) died after he got entangled with a Chinese manja, which slit his throat. The soldier, Koteswara Rao (30), of Pedda Waltair, Visakhapatnam, was working in the military hospital in Langer Houz. After finishing work on Saturday, he was heading to his house in Bapu Nagar on a two-wheeler when his throat got severely cut by a Chinese manja on the Langar Houz Flyover.

According to the police, the soldier fell unconscious and was taken to the local military hospital. The doctors said that Koteswara Rao died while undergoing treatment. The police have registered a case under Section 304 Part 2, citing culpable homicide not amounting to murder. “Koteshwar sustained a deep cut on his neck and collapsed on the road. He was rushed to a hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment,” said J Niranjan Rao, Inspector Langer Houz.

The State government imposed a total ban on manja in 2016 to save birds as well as for the safety of humans.