It is suspected that the kite string that injured a Pune Fire Brigade employee was the banned nylon manja, which contains powdered glass. (Representational/ Express Photo) A Pune Fire Brigade employee suffered serious injuries on his throat from a kite string laced with ‘manja’ while crossing a flyover in Gultekdi area on Tuesday afternoon. He has been identified as Navnath Mandhare. He is a driver with the Pune Fire Brigade.
Mandhare came to the fire brigade office in Bhavani Peth in the morning. Later, he was asked to go to the Kondhwa fire station.
He was going towards Kondhwa on a two-wheeler when, while crossing the flyover at Dias Plot in Gultekdi area, a kite string became entangled around his neck, injuring his throat.
Mandhare managed to call his colleague Ganesh Sasane, who reached the spot and rushed Mandhare to a hospital in Bibvewadi.
According to the fire brigade, Mandhare’s injuries were so serious that he received 10 stitches on his throat. It is suspected that the kite string that injured him was the banned nylon manja, which contains powdered glass.
In a similar incident, two policemen — Mahesh Pawar and Sunil Gawli, both attached to the Shivajinagar police headquarters — were injured by a kite string while crossing the Shankar Maharaj bridge on the Pune-Satara road on a two-wheeler on Sunday.
Pune City police have intensified action against those selling the banned nylon kite string.
In the last two weeks, police have arrested four persons in separate cases for selling the banned kite string at their shops.