Tragic Kite Festival: Uttarayan's Dark Side in Gujarat

During the Uttarayan festival in Gujarat, kite-related incidents resulted in the deaths of at least four individuals, including children. Three fatalities were caused by kite strings, while another occurred due to electrocution. Emergency cases rose sharply, with officials noting increased trauma incidents linked to festival activities.

During the Uttarayan festival, Gujarat witnessed a tragic series of incidents, with at least four individuals, including children, losing their lives due to kite-related accidents, officials reported on Thursday.

Fatalities, three caused by sharp kite strings and one by electrocution, were noted in Bharuch, Anand, Aravalli, and Vadodara districts. In Bharuch's Pilundra village, 35-year-old Rahul Parmar was killed when a kite string slit his throat as he rode a motorcycle.

An eight-year-old boy from Anand district succumbed to critical neck injuries inflicted by a kite string, while 17-year-old Tirth Patel suffered a similar fate in Aravalli district. In Vadodara, 33-year-old Shankar Rathva died of electrocution while trying to fetch a kite from a power pole. Data shows a staggering 33% increase in emergency cases due to the festival's activities.

(With inputs from agencies.)