LAHORE - A two-year-old boy died shortly after a stray kite string slit his throat open in the Islampura police area on Sunday evening. The victim identified by police as Sufiyan, a resident of Gulshan-e-Ravi, was rushed to the Mayo hospital where he was pronounced as brought dead.

Rescue workers said the boy riding on a motorcycle along with his maternal uncle was going home when a chemical-coated string of a stray kite slit his throat open.

Police were investigating the incident. City police chief has also ordered an inquiry into the child’s death. The Punjab government has completely banned kite-flying in the province under the Punjab Prohibition of Kite Flying Act of 2009, following shocking deaths and injuries caused by kite string, which is often laced with powdered glass.  A large number of people often defy the ban on kite-flying especially on the weekend in Lahore. The police crackdowns on violators have failed to end the deadly sport in the city.