Hyderabad, December 7, 2025: Kite flying is a widely enjoyed activity in the Indian subcontinent, but sharp kite strings can cause severe vascular injuries that may result in serious harm or even death.1
This was evident when Karthik, a software engineer from Gurramguda, narrowly escaped death after a stray glass-coated manja sliced through his neck while he was riding his motorcycle on the Kamineni Flyover in Hyderabad.
The incident, which occurred more than 40 days before the Sankranti festival, has raised serious concerns over the use of glass-coated manja, not only during the festivities but also in the weeks leading up to them.
Karthik was riding towards Nagole with his fiancée when an almost invisible glass-coated thread wrapped around his exposed neck, cutting through the muscles and severing major blood vessels. Despite wearing a helmet, the thread cut deeply into the exposed areas of his neck.
Consultant Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon Dr. Rishith Battini of Kamineni Hospital, who treated Karthik, described the critical nature of the injuries. According to Deccan Chronicle, Dr. Battini said the manja “cut deeply into the exposed neck region” and “tore through the neck muscles and severed the upper blood vessels.”
“When he was brought to the emergency room, our first attempt was to control the bleeding, which was not fully successful. We quickly decided to shift him to surgery. Within 30 minutes, we began the procedure and successfully reattached the severed blood vessels and repaired the muscle,” Dr. Battini said.
The surgical team included Junior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Syed Mazhar Ali, Chief Cardiac Anaesthetist Dr. Suresh Kumar, and Consultant Anaesthetist Dr. Ravali Sade.
Karthik also suffered cuts on his fingers while trying to remove the manja from his neck. His fiancée, who was riding pillion, sustained minor injuries near her neck and eye.
In a remarkable turn of events, the passerby who rescued Karthik and rushed him to the hospital turned out to be a doctor from Kamineni Hospital.
Describing the incident, Karthik said ,“I was riding with my fiancée towards Nagole at hardly 40 kmph when I felt a sharp cut on my neck. When I put my hand inside the helmet, I saw the manja stuck there. It had also cut my fingers. I immediately pulled over. When I touched my neck, my hand was full of blood.”
The doctor gave him a handkerchief to apply pressure to the wound and, after several auto-rickshaws refused to stop, transported him on his own motorcycle to the hospital.
“Only later did I realise he was a doctor there,” Karthik said.
Dr. Battini emphasized the broader public health threat posed by glass-coated manja.
“Glass-coated manja is extremely dangerous. Authorities must enforce strict control immediately, otherwise more life-threatening incidents are likely,” he told Deccan Chronicle.
Studies and hospital data show that males are most frequently affected, with the 30–50 year age group being the most vulnerable. Most victims were travelling on two-wheelers at the time of injury. The neck was the most commonly affected site, with injuries predominantly involving the veins. 1
1. Singh, Devender; Kottilliyil, Aruna Sree; Anurshetru, Basavarajendra. Kite String Vascular Injuries: Management of Uncommon Vascular Injuries with Common Suggestions. Indian Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 9(5):p 381-384, Oct–Dec 2022. | DOI: 10.4103/ijves.ijves_66_22
(Rh/VK)
