BHUBANESWAR: A bike-borne youth was critically injured after coming in contact with a glass-coated Chinese manja (kite thread) in Pokhariput area of the city on Tuesday evening.
Sources said the injured, Kamala Kant of Kalpana area was going on his motorcycle when he came in contact with the kite thread near Pokhariput railway overbridge, sustaining grievous injuries on his neck. He also received cuts on his fingers while trying to remove the thread.
A few of his friends, who were on another two-wheeler came to his rescue and took him to Capital hospital. Later he was referred to SCB medical college and hospital in Cuttack.
The incident has sparked apprehension about the kite festival often organised in the city and its periphery during Makar Sankranti. Sources said the Commissionerate Police has already imposed restriction on use of Chinese manja considering the threat they pose to commuters.