Hyderabad: Army soldier bleeds to death as banned Chinese manja slits throat while commuting to work

A 29-year-old Army soldier lost his life in Hyderabad when a banned nylon manja used for kite flying got entangled with a lamppost and slit his throat. Despite efforts to rush him to the hospital, he succumbed to his severe bleeding. 

Naik K Koteshwara Reddy, 29, was travelling for work to the Military Hospital in Golconda, on a two-wheeler, when a banned nylon manja hanging from a kite and entangled with a lamppost caught around his neck, slitting his throat in the process on Saturday.

Reddy was a driver posted in the hospital’s motor transport wing. He fell from his scooter when the Chinese manja (thin and almost invisible, widely used by competitive kite flyers during Sankranti festival due to its durability and resistance to cutting) , a prohibited material in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, caught around his neck, the Times of India reported.

Reddy is survived by his wife and a two-year-old daughter. Wife K Prathyusha said he left home at 6pm. Shankar Goud, a fellow driver, attempted to get Reddy to the hospital following the injuries. However, Goud stopped a rickshaw and lifted Reddy onto his shoulder to take him to Military Hospital since the bleeding was so bad. Reddy died while undergoing treatment.

Following an autopsy, Reddy's mortal remains were given to his family, and the last ceremonies were held in the region of Visakhapatnam, where he was born. An investigation is underway after police filed a case of culpable murder against unidentified individuals. In her complaint, Prathyusha urged necessary action against those selling banned manja, emphasising the potential danger it poses to humans and animals.

Chinese manja, thin and almost invisible, is widely used by competitive kite flyers during Sankranti festival due to its durability and resistance to cutting. This terrible event serves as a clear warning about the risks involved with using prohibited manja when kite flying. To stop such deaths from occurring, authorities and the general public must cooperate to increase knowledge of the risks associated with these materials.