Ludhiana: Iron wire shield installed on bikes over plastic string threat

Amid Lohri festivities, the Ludhiana rural police installed specially designed iron wire shields on two-wheelers to protect bikers from accidental injuries caused by entanglement with Chinese kite string on Tuesday. The drive was carried out at the main chowk of Mandi Mullapur under the supervision of DSP (Dakha) Varinder Singh Khosa. Besides, a man selling the banned string was booked in Mandi Mullanpur. As many as 10 such reels were seized, the police said.

Police have also held meetings with kite shop owners operating in the areas under the police stations of Dakha, Jodhan and Sudhar. Shopkeepers were warned against selling Chinese kite strings. Surprise inspections are being conducted regularly to ensure compliance.

To raise public awareness, police teams are visiting nearby villages and towns, organising meetings in the presence of sarpanches, panches and other community members. Children are being educated about the dangers of plastic kite string, while parents are being urged not to allow its use. The public has been appealed to immediately inform the police about any sale of banned kite string, with assurances that the identity of informers will be kept confidential.

DSP Khosa said Chinese kite string is not only life-threatening for humans but also deadly for birds.

In coordination with the Mandi Mullapur nagar council, directions have been issued for removal of kite strings hanging at elevated locations, including the main chowk flyover, Raikot road flyover and other urban areas.

Entangled in kite string, injured eagle rescued

Volunteers of a city-based animal welfare organisation — People for Animals (PFA) — rescued an eagle that suffered severe injuries after getting entangled in the banned Chinese kite string in Ludhiana on Tuesday.

Rakesh Jain, adviser to PFA (Guru Sewak Parivar), said animal lovers Deepak Jain and Roshni Jain came across the injured bird near Bharatiya Vidya Mandir. They informed the PFA after which the bird was taken to Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU). Veterinarians provided medical treatment and stitched its wounds.

After that, the eagle was handed over to the wildlife department which will keep the bird under observation and provide care until it fully recovers.