A popular kite festival has turned tragic when six people, including three children, had their throats cut by kite strings in Gujarat, India.
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Nearly 200 people were also injured from cuts and falls while flying their kites in duels at the Uttarayan Festival last weekend, the Chron reports.
Hundreds of participants sat on their roofs or terraces to join in the “battle” of the kites. The goal of the competition is to shoot down other dragons in a dogfight.
The strings of festival-goers’ kites are sometimes reinforced with metal and glass powder. They become sharp enough to cut through skin and even electrical wires.
Hundreds of kite strings were tangled around the necks of the six victims, according to the Chron.
A 2-year-old girl was with her father in Bhavnagar town when a kite string wrapped around her neck and cut her throat. Kirti died in the hospital.
Another child, Kismat, 3, was walking home with her mother in the city of Visnagar when her throat was slashed by a kite string.
Seven-year-old Rishabh Verma was killed in front of his parents after a kite string allegedly cut his throat in the town of Rajkot.
Three men also succumbed to their injuries from the dragons. Swamiji Yadav (35), Narendra Vaghela (20) and Ashwin Gadhvi were also killed.
Police also said 130 people also suffered lacerations, while 46 others were injured from falling while flying their kites at high altitude.