Kite String Tragedy in Rajasthan: Chinese Manjha Claims Life of 8-Year-Old Boy

Bikaner News: Despite the ban, the blatant sale of Chinese manjha has once again proven fatal. Eight-year-old Virat lost his life in Deshnoke after his throat was slit by the lethal kite string.

Bikaner: Despite the ban, the blatant sale of Chinese manjha has once again proven fatal. Eight-year-old Virat lost his life in Deshnoke after the lethal kite string slit his throat. This is not merely an accident, but another tragic failure of a negligent system.

Virat, a resident of Udasar village in the Deshnoke police station area, was travelling to Bikaner with his parents and sister for wedding shopping. The household was filled with a festive atmosphere, but this journey became the family’s greatest tragedy. Deshnoke Station House Officer Suman Shekhawat stated that efforts are underway to identify those using the Chinese manjha.

A ‘Death Trap’ on the Overbridge

As they were descending the Deshnoke overbridge, the Chinese manjha dangling in the air suddenly became entangled around Virat’s neck. The string was so sharp that it caused a deep laceration. His condition deteriorated due to excessive blood loss, and he passed away before he reached the hospital.

Calamity strikes a labourer family Virat’s family earns their living through manual labour at a brick kiln. The death of their only son has left the family completely devastated. The home that was once busy with wedding preparations is now shrouded in silence and mourning.

The ‘thread of death’ remains in the market despite the ban Chinese manjha is already prohibited; however, its blatant sale in markets, along with online and covert supplies, continues to claim lives every year due to the administration’s lax enforcement.

Patrika View: Annual tragedies, yet the system remains asleep. Whether it is Makar Sankranti or other occasions, deaths linked to manjha surface every year. From the deaths of birds to bike riders having their throats slit—there is neither strictness nor a permanent solution. Every time there is a warning, and every time it is followed by negligence. Will accountability be fixed, or will silence prevail?

This remains the ultimate question. Will the old attitude of dismissing it as "misfortune" continue, or will something change regarding those selling illegal manjha and the administration’s failure to monitor them? Virat’s death is not just an incident; it is a warning. If strict action is not taken now, the administration will be held responsible for the next victim.