‘Manjha’ claims two lives in Vadodara

Vadodara: Two persons, including a senior citizen, lost their lives after their throats were slit by kite strings laced with glass powder on the first day of Uttarayan festival, police said today.

The two, who were riding motorcycles, died last evening in separate incidents, they said.

Bhupendra Govardhanbhai (63) and Mayur Anil Patel (16) bled to death in Karelibagh and Bhayli areas, respectively, after their throats were slashed by deadly ‘manjha’ (razor sharp kite threads), police added.

Their bodies were sent to Gujarat Government-run SSG Hospital for post-mortem.

Uttarayan (Makar Sakranti) is the day when the Sun starts to travel northwards marking the decline of winter. Kite flying is an integral part of Utarayan, the two-day festival, which is a major event in Gujarat.