24 hours of kite flying on Uttarayan claims 48 lives

Manan Dave,marketing officer from the 108 Emergency Services,said: “In Gujarat,2,995 emergency cases,554 trauma cases and 380 fall cases have been reported. Forty-eight people are estimated to have died across the state on Wednesday due to kite flying.”

In Ahmedabad,nearly 250 cases of injuries have been reported in the government and private hospitals. The V S Hospital has reported two cases of death. In one of the cases at this hospital,Ujmabano Mohammed Shaikh (5) fell off the terrace while she was flying kites with her father in the afternoon on Wednesday. She was rushed to the hospital,where she was declared dead on arrival. One Kiran Hukmaji Vanjara (14) fell from the terrace and died due to severe head injury.

The kite festival also proved fatal for five-year-old Rakhi Patel in Valsad,who died due to a slit on her neck by manjha when she was travelling with her grandfather on a motorcycle.

In V S Hospital,10 people with major injuries were admitted. Another 23 OPD cases,including 10 injury cases,were registered at the hospital. The

L G Hospital recorded 45 OPD cases of injuries and two cases of admission.

The Shardaben Hospital had 20 cases of injuries and three cases of patients admitted due to severe injuries,while the Sola Civil Hospital registered 50 cases of injuries and cuts.

The Medi Surge Hospital had arranged 10 first-aid booths across the city. About 120 patients with minor cuts and other injuries visited the booths. Two persons,who were admitted to the hospital,had sustained serious injuries. A 25-year-old man fell from the terrace in the Shahpur area and sustained serious head injuries.

KILLER KITES
* A nine-year-old girl flying kite fell off the parapet of the terrace of her house in Ramol and died in the hospital on December 3
* A 40-year-old-man died of a head injury,which he sustained after falling from the branch of a tree while holding a kite on December 8
* A 37-year-old woman died due to manja cut on Jan 3
* A 32-year-old man died due to a manja cut on January 11

Stone pelting in Vatva over flying kites

Communal tension flared up in Vatva on Thursday morning following a dispute over flying kites. Members of two communities resorted to stone pelting at each other,injuring two persons.

The Vatva police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. A criminal case has been registered and further investigations are on. A complaint in this regard was lodged by Raeesaben Saiyed,a resident of Yakubbhai na Khetar in the Nava Pura locality of Vatva.

In her complaint,Saiyed has named three persons as the main accused. The three have been identified as Naniben Chunara and two of her sons. Vatva police Inspector G L Khuti said: “The accused woman has been arrested whereas,investigations are on to find out her two sons. The situation is under control at the disputed place.”

Clashes also at Amaraiwadi

Two more incidents,including clash between two groups over flying kites,have been reported from Amaraiwadi on Thursday. The first incident was reported from near Bhagwati Nagar,near Sureliya Estate in the Amaraiwadi area in the afternoon. Minor stone pelting was reported at the place after two groups clashed over a trivial matter. According to the Ramol police,the situation was under control.

In the second incident,which happened near Rami ni Chali in Amaraiwadi,the situation had worsened after a girl was injured following a clash between two groups in the afternoon. Some rioters torched a bike that was parked at the spot,following whichm the police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Ramol police Inspector S R Gohil said that investigations are on to find out the culprits.

1 held,9 booked at Nawabwada

VADODARA: THE Karelibag police arrested one person and booked nine others for indulging in stone pelting,which was fallout of a minor incidenton Thursday. The incident took place around 1.30 pm. “Someone cut the thread of a kite,which ensued into an argument between the locals. After some senior residents and leaders intervened,the situation seemed normal. But after some time,the situation worsened and heavy stone pelting took place between the two groups,” said an official at the Karelibag police station.

Following the incident,senior police officials rushed to the spot. The police lodged a complaint against nine late in the evening. “We have arrested one Ashwin Limbachia,who was found pelting stones along with others,” said an officer.