A 21-year-old priest, Vinay Tiwari, narrowly escaped a life-threatening incident in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, when a banned Chinese manja kite string slashed his throat while he was out shopping. Tiwari, originally from Rajgarh district and currently residing in Ujjain, underwent a two-hour emergency surgery at a local hospital to treat the deep cuts on his throat.
Doctors successfully saved Tiwari’s life, and he is now out of danger but remains under close observation. The dangerous synthetic string, known for its glass-coated sharpness, has caused similar accidents in the past, despite being banned in the region. Authorities had imposed a ban on the sale and use of Chinese manja ahead of the Makar Sankranti festival due to its hazardous nature.
The incident has prompted the Mahakal Police Station to take action against individuals involved in selling and distributing the prohibited string. One suspect has been arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend another absconding individual. Police have also confiscated quantities of Chinese manja from local shops and are urging citizens to report any sightings of the banned string to avoid further accidents.
Community leaders and religious figures have called for responsible celebrations during the upcoming kite festival, emphasizing the importance of using only cotton threads for kite flying to prevent such incidents in the future.
