Kite string snuffs out another life

Child starts crying, bleeding while travelling on motorbike with parents

LAHORE:

A five-year-old child riding a motorcycle along with his mother and father died after suffering a kite string injury on neck in Shadbagh.

The victim Ali Haider’s father Chand Ali told reporters that he was taking his son and wife back home on the motorbike from Makkah Chowk in Bhaghatpura when the accident occurred. As he reached near Dildar Khan Haveli, his son suddenly started crying.

The parents stopped to check him and found him bleeding from the neck that had been slit.

The victim was shifted to the Nawaz Sharif Kot Khawaja Saed Hospial but he passed away.

Police registered a murder case against unidentified suspects on Chand Ali’s complaint.

Lahore CCPO Bilal Siddique Kamyana sought a report about the incident from the city SP.

He declared that those found guilty of negligence would be held accountable. He issued orders to identify and arrest those responsible for the death at the earliest.

Kamyana also that that Lahore police had been following a policy of zero tolerance against violation of the Kite Flying Act.

“Lahore Police arrested over 1,000 suspects over violation of the kite flying ban during the ongoing month,” he said. The police had recovered over 20,000 kites and 900 strings rolls, he added.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar asked the CCPO for a report on the incident.

He ordered the formation of a special team to arrest those involved in the death of the child.

Dr Anwar also issued instructions to speed up the ongoing crackdown against metallic and chemical string, and kite flying. He said no lenience should be offered during action against those involved in kite flying in all the districts.

The Punjab Police IG said the elements that played with innocent lives did not deserve any sympathy. “Those who manufacture, buy, sell and use metallic and chemical strings in all districts should be brought to justice,” he added.

The IG said the officials concerned should maintain close contact with the family of the deceased child and no effort should be spared to provide it justice.

The Punjab government has been conducting crackdowns against kite flying for over one and a half decades. Cases were registered after such the incidents and officers up to the rank of SP besides dozens of DSPs and SHOs were suspended over negligence during recent years.

In another incident on Thursday, a young motorcyclist, Bilal, was injured after kite string slashed his throat in Gujjarpura. He was shifted to a hospital.

Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi expressed deep grief over the loss of the child’s life. In a statement, he extended his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family.

He called for legal and punitive action against the officials responsible for negligence and condemned incidents of kite flying despite the ban. He ordered an effective crackdown against those violating the law.

On March 2, Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi had ordered an indiscriminate crackdown against those violating the kite flying prohibition law.

Presiding over a meeting, he said legal action should be taken against those who fly kites and indulge in firing.

The caretaker CM asserted that the ban on flying kites should be strictly enforced in every city.

He expressed anger over incidents of kite flying in some cities while Section 144 was imposed to stop the activity across Punjab and warned that the DPO concerned would be held responsible if any incident happened.

The loss of life due to kite flying cannot be tolerated, he stressed and directed the police to ensure action against aerial firing. He said drones and other modern technologies should be used to monitor kite flying.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2023.