Huge quantity of Chinese string spools seized, 2 held

The Cantonment police have seized a huge quantity of banned synthetic kite string, which was being smuggled from Jalandhar, here on Wednesday. The police have arrested two persons, a kite seller and the driver of the canter in which the Chinese string was being smuggled.

They were identified as Davinder Singh, alias Bunty (43), of Boria Wala Bazaar in Katra Safaid area in the walled city and Hem Raj (45) of Malka Chowk, Jalandhar, respectively. The police confiscated 1,020 spools of synthetic string and the canter (PB-08-EB-1479).

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Alam Vijay Singh said they were arrested by the police from near the Army recruitment office located on Ram Tirath Road. They were waiting for the seller to deliver the consignment of the kite string. He said Davinder Singh Bunty was a habitual offender as a case was already registered against him in January five years ago. At that time, he was arrested with around 100 spools, he added.

The Chinese kite string has been playing havoc with the lives of people for nearly the past decade while the Punjab Government and respective district administrations have failed to nail the problem. The killer ‘dor’ has claimed several lives and left many injured in the past. Also, it kills a large number of birds that get entangled in kite strings.

Earlier, railway employee Haramritpal Singh, aka Rajan (43), a resident of Verka, lost his life after a dangling Chinese kite string slit his throat on the Verka-Batala road BRTS flyover here on October 15 this year.

Though every year, the district administration imposes a ban on the sale and purchase of Chinese kite strings and launch awareness campaigns, the problem persists. In fact, it has been going from bad to worse with each passing year.

“Today’s seizure is reminder of the fact that though secretly, it is still easily available in the market,” said Dr Rohan Mehra, an animal welfare activist.

Sarabjit Singh, a human rights activist and prominent lawyer, said people should also act responsibly as the synthetic kite string is environmentally hazardous in nature as it does not break down easily. He said the parents should not allow their children to use the deadly string.