Once a symbol of celebration during Jamghat and other festivals, kite flying has now become a deadly hazard on the city streets due to the growing use of the banned razor-sharp nylon or plastic kite strings coated with crushed glass, iron particles and strong adhesive, all of which give it a knife-like sharpness capable of slitting the throat of pedestrians and two-wheeler riders within seconds and also posing a threat to key Metro and power infrastructure. Kite stringmakers at work in Lucknow. (Deepak Gupta/HT) Preferred to the more expensive traditional cotton string, the cheaper nylon or plastic string becomes lethal when it is stretched across streets or ‘tangled’ at neck level. The competitive practice of ‘tangling’ gives the pastime a lethal edge as rooftop participants attempt to cut the kites of others, often prioritising victory over safety. In a bid to gain an advantage, many kite flyers have abandoned traditional cotton threads in favour of plastic and other synthetic strings. The plastic-based thread is manufactured in cities such as Ahmedabad and Bengaluru and sold openly …