Pune: The string of accidents caused by nylon manja (kite string) in Pune shows no signs of stopping even after the festival of Makar Sankranti. A recent incident in the Swargate area has once again brought the issue of this dangerous string to the forefront.
A young motorcyclist travelling over a flyover suffered severe injuries, including severed nerves in his thumb, after getting entangled in nylon manja. The incident has sparked a wave of outrage across the city.
The injured youth has been identified as Sanket Bothra (30, Dhankwadi). Two days ago, around 6:00 PM, while Sanket was riding his two-wheeler over the Deshbhakt Late Keshavrao Jedhe Flyover in the Swargate area, a nylon kite string suddenly got caught around his neck and right hand.
As Sanket attempted to push the string away, the same thread got snagged on another speeding vehicle passing by. This created immense tension on the string, resulting in a deep gash to Sanket’s right thumb.
His thumb was more than half-severed, and the nerves in his fingers were cut. He was rushed to the hospital immediately, where doctors performed emergency surgery. His condition is currently reported to be stable.
Citizens are alleging that, despite a formal ban, nylon manja is being sold openly across Pune. Only a few days ago, a young woman was seriously injured by nylon manja in the Bharati Vidyapeeth area; the Swargate incident is a grim repetition of that danger.
Social activist Abhijit Tembekar strongly criticised the administration, stating, “Flying kites may be a hobby, but nylon manja is turning it into a death trap. Despite numerous accidents, the administration fails to take decisive action. Ultimately, should we be cutting kite strings or the lives of citizens?”
Chinese or nylon manja used for kite flying is extremely sharp and proves fatal to humans, animals, and birds. For this reason, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned the production, storage, sale, and use of nylon manja. However, because such strings are still used rampantly throughout the city, the number of accidents continues to rise.
