4 min readLudhianaJan 28, 2026 03:34 PM IST
First published on: Jan 28, 2026 at 09:05 AM IST
Over 48 hours have passed, but Mandeep Singh (32), is yet to come to terms with his wife’s death due to the banned ‘China dor’ (plastic kite string) — still brazenly sold in markets.
Mandeep’s wife Sarabjit Kaur (32) died on Sunday around 4.30 PM, after the plastic string entangled around her neck and slit her throat within seconds. Sarabjit was driving a two-wheeler and was on her way to the Mullanpur town’s market. When the string tightened her neck, she herself called Mandeep, after which he rushed to Mullanpur. By the time Mandeep reached the spot, some commuters had already taken Sarabjit to a private hospital in Ludhiana where she was declared dead.
From Ludhiana’s Akalgarh village, Mandeep (32) is now left alone to raise their one-year-old son. “Even after my wife is gone, will this stop? Will anyone be held responsible for my wife’s death? If yes, then who and how?” Mandeep asked.
Owner of the café ‘Urban Theka’ in Mullanpur, Mandeep told The Indian Express, “I, my wife, my parents or anyone else in the family never bought China dor, we never even flew kites… My entire life has been finished within two minutes but still no one will be held responsible. My son keeps searching for his mother at night… he can’t sleep without her. For the Punjab Police and the Punjab government, all this won’t matter because for them my wife will be just another case.”
“My wife’s last words… are still ringing in my ears. She said, “Mere dor firr gi, chetti aao (I sustained an injury due to a plastic string, come fast).”
The Punjab government or Punjab Police cannot stop chitta (drugs) and will not enforce ban on the sale of China dor as shopkeepers earn huge profits by selling it in black. But they will challan modified vehicles on roads which are unnecessary, Mandeep said, adding that this shows their priorities. “The only solution will be to ban kites altogether so that more people don’t lose their family like I did.”
Mandeep said, “Everyone, including those who buy, sell and even those parents who allow their children to use this China dor are responsible for my wife’s death. My family has been devastated for nothing.” His father, Jaswant Singh, is a gazetted officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and mother Baljinder Kaur is posted as District Education Officer (DEO), Sangrur.
Taking a suo motu cognizance, the Ludhiana Rural Police registered an FIR at Mullanpur Dakha police station against unknown persons for selling the plastic string under BNS Sections 106 (1) (causing death by rash or negligent deaths) and 223 (disobedience to the orders lawfully promulgated by public servant). The FIR was filed on the basis of the statement of a policeman after Mandeep refused to file one.
“What should I do by filing an FIR… when I don’t know who got that banned string… Will the case ever reach any conclusion… We were still grieving my wife’s death, but some people in our village were still flying kites,” he said.
In Ludhiana, two people died last week within 24 hours due to the kite string. On Saturday, Taranjot Singh (15) died in Samrala, followed by Sarabjit who died on Sunday.
Sarabjit Kaur with husband Mandeep Singh and their son (Express photo) 
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