Hyderabad, December 6, 2025: Although Sankranti is still more than 40 days away, manja-related accidents have already begun in the city. Karthik, a software engineer from the Gurramguda area, was travelling on his bike with his fiancée towards Nagole when he suddenly felt something tighten around his neck. Before he could react, the sharp thread had already sliced through his skin. A passerby noticed him bleeding and rushed him immediately to Kamineni Hospital. Consultant Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgeon Dr. Rishith Battini, who treated Karthik, explained the severity of the case.

Karthik was riding over the Kamineni flyover when a stray manja string got entangled around his neck. Despite wearing a helmet, the thread cut deeply into the exposed neck region. The impact tore through the neck muscles and severed the upper blood vessels. Fortunately, the deeper major vessels and airway were not damaged, preventing a more life-threatening situation. However, heavy bleeding had already started.

“When he was brought to the emergency room, our first attempt was to control the bleeding, which was not fully successful. We quickly decided to shift him to surgery. Within 30 minutes, we began the procedure and successfully reattached the severed blood vessels and repaired the muscle. He had also sustained cuts on his fingers while trying to pull the manja off. His fiancée, who was riding pillion, suffered minor injuries near the neck and eye,” said Dr. Rishith.

Dr. Rishith added that although Sankranti is weeks away, people have already started flying kites. When kites fall, glass-coated manja gets loose and drifts in the air, posing severe risk to commuters. “Glass-coated manja is extremely dangerous. Authorities must enforce strict control immediately, otherwise more life-threatening incidents are likely,” he said. Junior Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Syed Mazhar Ali, Chief Cardiac Anaesthetist Dr. Suresh Kumar, and Consultant Anaesthetist Dr. Ravali Sade also participated in this surgery.

Rescued by a Kamineni Doctor — Without Even Knowing It

Karthik later shared that the person who saved him and brought him to the hospital was, in fact, a doctor from Kamineni Hospital.

“I was riding with my fiancée towards Nagole at hardly 40 kmph when I felt a sharp cut on my neck. When I put my hand inside the helmet, I saw the manja stuck there. It had also cut my fingers. I immediately pulled over. When I touched my neck, my hand was full of blood. A doctor passing by noticed me, gave me his handkerchief to press on the wound, and tried stopping several autos, but none stopped. So he took me on his own bike to Kamineni Hospital. Only later did I realise he was a doctor there. If these accidents are happening even before Sankranti, it’s extremely dangerous for everyone using the roads,” Karthik said.