Delhi teen catches fire after kite string touches high-tension wire

The boy was flying a kite when its string became entangled with a high-tension power line. As he tried to pull the string, he came into contact with the electrical current, and his body suddenly caught fire.Delhi boy caught fire after kite string came in contact with high tension line (File photo/ Representative)A 17-year-old boy suffered serious burn injuries in East Delhi's Ghazipur area after the string of a kite he was flying came in contact with a high-tension electricity wire. A video of the incident has surfaced on social media and shows the teenager catching fire after he attempted to pull the kite string.According to the information available, the boy was flying a kite when its string became entangled with a high-tension power line. As he tried to pull the string, he came into contact with the electrical current and his body suddenly caught fire.People at the spot rushed to help the teenager and took him to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital. After receiving initial treatment, he was referred to Safdarjung Hospital considering the extent of his injuries. The teenager is now reported to be out of danger.THE QUESTION OVER THE KITE STRINGThe incident has also raised questions over the type of kite string being used. Some residents described it as Chinese manjha (glass-coated nylon kite wire), a prohibited kite string that has been linked to several accidents. However, there is no official confirmation yet that the string involved in this incident was Chinese manjha. The owner of the house where the incident took place said he had no information about the type of string being used.According to him, the boy was flying a kite when it got stuck in the high-tension line. When the teenager tried to pull it down, he was suddenly struck by electricity and caught fire.HOW DID THE BOY GET ELECTRIFIED? The incident has also raised questions about whether the kite string itself was conductive or whether the teenager came into contact with the live power line while attempting to retrieve the kite.If the string was made entirely of a non-conductive material, the circumstances that led to the teenager being electrocuted will need to be examined. Authorities may also need to establish whether the string contained any conductive material or whether the boy came into physical contact with the high-tension wire.- EndsPublished By: Akash ChatterjeePublished On: Aug 16, 2026 16:38 IST