Ban on sale of China-made kite strings in Amritsar

Amritsar, Jan 16 (PTI) The district administration todayimposed a ban on kite strings made in China in view of thesecausing injuries to those traveling on two wheelers, rickshawsand bicycles, police said.

Besides, 12 wholesale dealers were arrested for sellingand stocking rolls of China-made kite strings and laterreleased on bail, the police said.

Due to stray Chinese kite strings, two deaths have beenreported in the city.

A government school lecturer Kewal Singh died due to afatal cut as his neck was almost chopped off due to a strayChinese kite string when he was riding his scooter, the policesaid.

In another incident, Reema Makhini, a 20-year-oldstudent, was taken to hospital in a profusely bleeding stateafter she was injured by coming in contact with a stray kitestring on a road here.

According to the Director of the hospital, her upper armwas slashed half-way, just as if it was cut by a knife.

Pushpinder Kaur (37) was another victim of a China-madekite string as her chin was cut across following an encounterwith a stray string on the same road.

As many as 11 patients have been brought to AmandeepHospital in a fortnight following accidents in the kite flyingseason and most injuries were on the upper body partsincluding neck, facial injuries and on the arms and hands,hospital sources said.

Since the China-made strings cost one-tenth the price oftraditional kite strings, they have many buyers.

A 1,000-metre-long traditional kite string costs aroundRs 70 while the Chinese string of the same length can bepurchased for just Rs 7.