3 children among 6 killed by razor-sharp kite strings at Indian festival

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Three children and three adults were killed when their throats were slit by kite strings during a weekend festival in the Indian state of Gujarat.

The casualties occurred at the annual Uttarayan festival, where revelers are known to engage in kite fights, in which competitors aim to sever the kite strings of other opponents, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

The dangerous kite strings are often coated with glass powder, or even lined with metal, making them razor-sharp.

Local officials said several victims bled to death after having their necks sliced by the strings used by kite fliers.

A further 176 participants were injured after suffering cuts and falls while flying kites, police said.

A 2-year-old girl identified only as Kirti was riding with her father on his bicycle in Bhavnagar city when her neck was cut by a kite string, and she died at a local hospital, police said.

In another incident, 3-year-old Kismat was walking home with her mother in the town of Visnagar on Saturday when a cord sliced her neck. She was rushed to a hospital and pronounced dead.

In the city of Rakjot, police said 7-year-old Rishab Verma was riding with his parents on their bicycle when a kite string wrapped around his neck, resulting in his death.

Similar accidents were reported in the Vadodara, Kutch and Gandhinagar districts, leading to the deaths of Swamiji Yadav, 35, Narendra Vaghela, 20, and Ashwin Gadhvi, who all had their necks sliced open while biking.

According to information from local EMS officials, 130 people suffered lacerations and 46 were hurt in falls from rooftops and terraces while flying kites Saturday and Sunday in those regions.

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