JAMMU, July 26: In a deeply tragic and avoidable incident, a 37-year-old motorcyclist lost his life after his throat was fatally slashed by a banned nylon kite thread, commonly referred to as Chinese Manja or Gattu, while riding on the Jammu-Akhnoor flyover near the Canal area on Friday evening.
The victim has been identified as Sahil Kumar, son of Rajinder Prasad, a resident of Domana, Jammu. The incident occurred at approximately 6:15 PM when Sahil was riding his motorcycle with his wife, en route to the Bus Stand area. As per police reports, the highly dangerous synthetic thread became entangled around his neck while he was in motion, severely slashing his throat and causing him to collapse on the road, drenched in blood.
Eyewitnesses and locals immediately rushed to help, and the injured man was transported to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital, Jammu. However, despite all efforts, he was declared dead on arrival by attending doctors.
Following the incident, the police shifted the body to the GMC mortuary for a post-mortem examination. An investigation has been initiated to determine the source of the illegal thread and whether any negligence or willful violation of the law was involved in its circulation.
Authorities have reiterated that the use, sale, and possession of Chinese Manja is strictly prohibited in the district. The ban, imposed by the District Magistrate of Jammu under Section 144 of the Jammu and Kashmir CrPC, stems from the thread’s proven dangers—it is non-biodegradable, glass-coated, and razor-sharp, making it lethal to both humans and animals.
This heart-wrenching incident has reignited public concern over the illegal availability of banned threads despite repeated advisories and enforcement drives. Law enforcement agencies are being urged to intensify crackdowns on the illegal sale of Gattu and hold accountable those who defy the law at the cost of innocent lives.
The tragic death of Sahil Kumar serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need for stricter enforcement and greater public awareness to prevent such devastating incidents in the future.