The simple act of a scooter ride with his father has become a source of terror for eight-year-old Prabhjot Singh from Ludhiana. A carefree journey turned into a bloody nightmare when a nearly invisible, banned plastic kite string sliced through his face and neck. Two weeks later, the young boy remains traumatized, refusing to leave his bed, haunted by the fear of the "invisible killer" that he believes still lurks outside.
A Child's Trauma on Raikot Overbridge
The horrific incident took place on December 28 as Prabhjot and his 53-year-old father, Surinder Singh, were crossing the Raikot overbridge in Mullanpur to visit relatives. Traveling at speed, they had no warning. The synthetic, glass-coated string known as "Chinese dor" struck without a sound.
"Suddenly my son started crying," recounted Surinder Singh, who also suffered injuries to his left arm. "I initially thought an insect had stung him. But then I saw the deadly string embedded in his face and throat." The injuries were so deep that young Prabhjot needed 30 stitches. For five agonizing days, he could only consume milk through a syringe, pleading with his grandmother for a roti he could not eat.
"Now, he won't even step out of the house," his father said. "He has missed school and just wants to stay in bed, where he feels safe." The psychological scars appear to be as deep as the physical ones.
The 'Dread Bridge': A Recurring Danger Zone
Prabhjot is not an isolated case. The Raikot overbridge has become a notorious hotspot for such accidents, with three other major injuries reported in just one week.
On December 30, 23-year-old bakery worker Salman Khan was struck by the string at 4 p.m. The razor-sharp thread cut into his neck and hand, requiring 13 stitches in total. "I was bleeding profusely and felt I was going to lose consciousness," Khan said. He has been unable to return to work since the attack.
Just two days later, on January 1, 65-year-old farmer Ranjit Singh became another victim. He was struck near his eye while braking for traffic and needed 18 stitches. "I was lucky to survive," he stated, adding a poignant warning: "The people who sell this string need to realise they could be the next victims."
Enforcement Failure and a Call for Action
Despite a nationwide ban on the manufacture and sale of Chinese dor, enforcement in Punjab appears threadbare. While the state government and local police claim to be "acting tough" with frequent seizures, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Four victims in a single week on one overpass expose the crackdown as ineffective theatre.
"The string is banned, but no one actually cares," said a frustrated Surinder Singh, Prabhjot's father. "It is still being sold openly and used to fly kites." The victims and their families are now demanding a complete and serious crackdown on the entire supply chain, from manufacturers to sellers.
They also highlight an often-overlooked consequence: this lethal string doesn't just devastate human families but also kills and maims thousands of birds annually, making it an environmental and wildlife hazard. The call is clear—the invisible killer must be stopped before it claims more victims.
