The Karnataka incident has renewed concerns over the continued use of banned kite strings, which have caused multiple deaths across India in recent years.
BY PC Bureau
January 14, 2026: A nylon kite string has claimed another life, this time in Karnataka, highlighting the recurring danger posed by the use of banned manjha. A 48-year-old motorcyclist was fatally injured after a kite string cut into his neck in Bidar district.
Sanjukumar Hosamani was riding near Talamadagi Bridge when a taut kite string stretched across the road slashed his neck, causing heavy bleeding. Critically injured, he fell from his motorcycle but managed to place a call to his daughter moments before losing consciousness. A video that later surfaced shows Hosamani bleeding profusely as he attempts to dial her number.
A passerby tried to stem the bleeding by pressing a cloth against the wound. According to local residents, an ambulance was called but arrived after a considerable delay. Hosamani died at the spot before he could be taken to a hospital.
His family has alleged that the delay in emergency response proved fatal and said he may have survived had medical assistance arrived on time. Following the incident, relatives and local residents staged a protest at the accident site, demanding strict enforcement of the ban on nylon kite strings and improvements in emergency medical services.
Police have registered a case at Manna Ekhelli Police Station and said an investigation is underway.
Kite-flying during Makar Sankranti is a long-standing tradition in many parts of India. Earlier, cotton kite strings coated with powdered glass were commonly used. In recent years, however, nylon strings, often referred to as Chinese manjha, have increasingly replaced cotton due to their durability and low cost. That same durability makes nylon strings extremely dangerous, as they can slice through skin and cause fatal injuries.
Two-wheeler riders are among the most vulnerable, as the nearly invisible strings stretched across roads and flyovers are difficult to detect until impact.
Such incidents are not isolated. Earlier this week, Raghuveer Dhakar (45) was killed in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, after a kite string slit his throat. Delhi has reported several similar deaths over the years. In July 2025, 22-year-old businessman Yash Goswami died after a kite string cut his neck on the Rani Jhansi flyover. A biker was killed on the Haiderpur flyover in 2022, while a seven-year-old child died in Paschim Vihar in July 2023 after being struck by a kite string.
Despite periodic raids and seizures by authorities, the continued loss of lives points to serious gaps in enforcement and public awareness, keeping the threat posed by nylon kite strings firmly alive.
