Six people die as fighting kite cords slit their throats in India

This year´s International Kite Flying Day in India went spectacularly wrong after six people died, their throats slit by a Dragon kite cord.

According to the Scottish Sun on Wednesday, January 18 deaths at the kite festival are not uncommon but this year´s Hindu festival was tragic with three children aged two, three and seven among the dead.

Some 200 people were injured in total according to local police with kites being flown from every vantage point. But they often fall to the ground or fliers lose control and that can lead to the kite cords wrapping around someone´s neck or brushing past them.

Not all kites are for show either with many involved in “dragon fights”, where fliers work to cut the kite of their opponent loose. Kite cords are often strengthened using metal or glass powder to give the handler better control and to allow them to fly bigger and more spectacular kites, as it protects their cords from being cut.

The reinforced cords are dangerous and can cut like a sharp blade, with anyone who gets in the way being injured.

New Delhi Television said that the two-year-old who lost her life was rising her buggy when the string wrapped around her throat. She was rushed to the local hospital in the city of Bhavnagar but died the following day.

Despite the obvious dangers, dragon fighting competitions are popular but seldom do as many as six people die from slit throats due to kite cords.

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