A young man narrowly escaped death after suffering severe neck injuries from a kite string, suspected to be coated with banned manja, in the Pokhariput area of Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. The victim, identified as Kamala Kanta from the Kalpana area, was riding his scooter when the sharp string suddenly wrapped around his neck, causing deep cuts.

He was immediately rescued by locals and rushed to a hospital in critical condition, where doctors said timely medical intervention saved his life. The incident has once again highlighted the dangers posed by glass-coated kite strings during festive celebrations.

Authorities have reiterated warnings against the use of prohibited manja, stressing that such strings pose a serious threat to commuters, pedestrians, and animals. No official comment was received from the police or the victim regarding the incident.

Notably, enforcement agencies in Odisha have previously seized large quantities of banned Chinese manja during crackdowns on illegal sales. With Makar Sankranti being widely celebrated across the state on January 14, officials have urged the public to avoid using dangerous kite strings to prevent potentially fatal accidents.