Post News Network
Cuttack: Following the death of a six-year old girl due to utter carelessness of some kite flyers here Monday, concerned citizens of the city have started chalking out effective measures to prevent mishaps arising out of this once-innocuous pastime.
At a civil society meet held here Tuesday, a draft master plan was prepared to rid kite flying of its dangerous side-effects. Many residents opined that merely imposing restrictions on kite flying will not help and that strong action is necessary.
Swetalena Behera, a resident of Nandisahi Gopaljiu Lane here, was killed after the string of a kite got entangled on her neck and cut through it.
The string of the kite and the girl’s body were sent to the forensic medical and toxicology department for further examination.
Intellectuals present at the meeting opined that the use of kite strings prepared by using glass fines, gums and other lethal items which should be banned.
A series of deaths and injuries have been reported to have been caused due to the use of such strings in recent times. Satyaranjan Behera, of Rajabagicha Harijan Sahi, was killed January 4 last year after a kite string slit his throat when he was on his motorcycle.
A former manager of Allahabad Bank’s industrial estate branch, Pradip Kumar Patra, was injured when a kite string hit him January 19 last year. Dipak Samal had lost more than 50 per cent of his nose after he was hit by a kite string near Paga in 2014.
He was admitted to the casualty ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital in a serious condition and a surgery was conducted on him. Santosh Nayak of Jagatpur Mundasahi had sustained severe injuries last year.
DCP Sanjeev Arora said police are working out a strategy to help curb the menace. District collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said, “These incidents are being viewed seriously and a decision will be taken after the civil society meet.”