CHENNAI: The dreaded ‘manja’ kite thread, banned by the city police for its lethal nature, has once again claimed a life in the city. This time the victim is four-and-a-half-year-old Serena Bhanu, who was on her way to the Marina Beach with her family for a Sunday outing.
Syed Sheikh Mohammad, father of the deceased girl, was inconsolable. He told Express that the family was on its way to the beach when a snapped kite string caught Serena’s throat. “The snapped thread was being pulled by a group of boys from one end. It slit my daughter’s throat. She cried out ‘daddy’ and fainted,” Mohammad said, breaking into tears. The incident occurred on Adithanar Salai in Pudupet around 5.30 pm.
The ordeal was only beginning. The child was rushed to a nearby nursing home for treatment, but they refused to admit her. “They directed us to the Children’s Hospital in Egmore,” said Mohammad.
But the child died on the way. “My wife Fathima could not bear the grief and fell unconscious,” said Mohammad. The incident sparked anger among the residents of Pudupet. Supporters of Manithaneya Makkal Katchi and the AIADMK staged a protest against the inaction of the police in enforcing the ban on ‘manja’ kite threads that could have prevented the death of Serena.