International Festival: Veteran flyer loses giant kite to slum boy

Asghar Belim — who has been flying kites for the past 22 years — said that on the final day of the festival at the Sabarmati Riverfront,a kite came from the opposite side of the river and cut his kite. He claimed his kite was worth Rs 10,000.

“I went alone looking for my kite and found it on top of a multiplex on the west bank of the river. It took me an hour to search the kite. If such things take place,the fun of kite flying dies. I have to attend several kite festivals,and had I lost this kite,it would have taken me a month to make another one,” said Belim.

With around 24 foreign kite flyers and 70 from nine states of the country participating in the festival,the organisers took special care to the participants’ kites. They also helped the participants to raise their huge kites.

“We did not realise as to when that kite came from behind. Everyday we cut around 20 kites coming from outside the venue,” said Hitesh Bramania,one of the kite cops.

In 2010,a kite of a participant from New Zealand,reportedly worth $400,was cut by a slum boy.