A 30-year-old pillion rider was injured by a banned Chinese manja string on Kolkata’s Narkeldanga Main Road, prompting police to intensify drone surveillance, raids and patrols near flyovers and other vulnerable stretches during the festive season.
Shubhankar Basu was travelling on an app-based motorcycle from Salt Lake to Sealdah on Sunday when the stray kite string cut his neck. The motorcycle rider was not injured. Basu was first taken to Sealdah ESI Hospital and later shifted to a private hospital in Salt Lake, according to a report by The Times of India. His condition was described as stable, although he may require surgery.
The incident has brought renewed attention to the risks created by plastic and glass-coated kite strings in areas where fast-moving traffic shares space with elevated roads, flyovers and open stretches used for kite-flying. The string reportedly became a hazard on Narkeldanga Main Road, a route connecting densely populated parts of the city with major transport destinations.
Kolkata Police have identified areas around Maa Flyover, the AJC Bose Road Flyover and Vidyasagar Setu as vulnerable stretches. Officers are using drones to monitor kite-flying and detect loose strings in real time. Control rooms at Lalbazar and the Southeast Division are monitoring the live drone footage, according to the report.
The police are also conducting raids in the Topsia, Beniapukur, Port and Eastern Suburban divisions to locate sellers of illegal kite strings. These operations are focused on plastic and glass-coated manja, which can remain suspended across roads or become entangled with vehicles and riders after being cut from kites.
Patrols have been increased on flyovers, including Maa Flyover and Vidyasagar Setu, to remove loose kite strings quickly. The enforcement effort combines surveillance of elevated road infrastructure with action against suppliers and sellers, rather than relying only on post-incident response.
A senior police officer said safety measures and raids would continue in vulnerable areas to prevent further accidents during the festive season. The latest case leaves the immediate focus on continued monitoring of flyovers, road corridors and markets where illegal manja may still be sold.
