Three dead after kite strings cut throats

Three people, including two children, have died after their throats were cut by glass-coated strings used for flying kites on India's Independence Day.

Kite-flying is a popular sport in many parts of India Kite-flying is a popular sport in many parts of India Photo: AFP
Saanchi Goyal, three, and Harry, four, were looking out through the sunroof of their cars in different parts of Delhi when sharp strings slit their throats.

Zafar Khan, 22, died in the same manner when he was riding his motorbike.

Many Indians fly kites to celebrate festivals and important occasions like the Independence Day.

Manja kite linesManja kite lines Photo: WikiCommons
A policeman in Delhi also suffered injuries from a sharp string, locally known as manja, on Monday.

The Delhi government has now banned the use of sharp strings to fly kites and promised to run campaigns to educate people about the dangers of using such strings.

Most people use glass-coated strings to bring down competitors' kites in fighting games, but the tactic also ends up injuring and killing people.

Similar strings killed a five-year-old boy in 2015 in the northern town of Moradabad, and a five-year-old girl died in Jaipur in 2014.