₹2 cr worth of banned Chinese kite string seized, Silvassa factory owner arrested

Police have seized banned Chinese kite string and related materials valued at more than ₹2 crore and arrested the owner of an illegal manufacturing unit operating in Silvassa, following a 20-day search. The accused, Viren Patel, was arrested from Vapi by the Ahmedabad Rural Special Operations Group (SOG).

Illegal factory supplying Gujarat ahead of Uttarayan

According to police, Patel had allegedly set up the factory ahead of Uttarayan to manufacture and supply large quantities of banned Chinese kite string across Gujarat. The arrest follows a series of seizures made in recent weeks from Sanand, Bavla, Koth and other parts of Ahmedabad district.

During a raid on the Silvassa-based unit, police uncovered what they described as a large-scale production network. More than 50,000 reels of Chinese kite string worth about ₹1.5 crore were seized. In addition, spools and specialised machinery valued at over ₹2.5 crore were confiscated. The factory was sealed and a case registered, but Patel initially went absconding.

Extensive supply network under investigation

Preliminary investigations suggest that Patel, a resident of Vapi, had established an extensive supply chain across Gujarat. Police have said further arrests are likely as the probe continues and efforts are on to identify agents linked to the network.

The Ahmedabad Rural SOG had launched a special drive ahead of Uttarayan to curb the sale of banned kite string. As part of this operation, Police Inspector Satish Ramani and his team arrested four persons from Ramangadh village in Sanand, seizing around 1,900 reels of Chinese kite string. Raids were also carried out in Bagodara, Bavla and Dholka.

Production traced to Silvassa unit

Further investigation revealed that the seized string was being manufactured at a factory near Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Acting on this input, police formed multiple teams and raided Vandan Industries near Silvassa, where large-scale production of Chinese kite string was allegedly underway. Around 44,000 spools valued at ₹1.5 crore, along with specialised machinery, were recovered from the premises.

Based on specific intelligence, police later traced Patel to Vapi, placed the area under surveillance and arrested him.

Allegations of long-running, unregistered operations

According to sources, Patel had been operating the factory without registration for the past two to three years and was allegedly one of the largest producers of Chinese kite string in Gujarat. Investigators believe that even before the raid, banned kite string worth several crores of rupees had already entered the market, including during previous Uttarayan festivals. Police have also flagged possible collusion or negligence by local authorities, though this aspect is still under inquiry.

Kite-related deaths and injuries during Uttarayan

During Uttarayan 2025 in Gujarat, 15 people lost their lives in kite-related incidents. Of these, six deaths were attributed to Chinese or heavily glass-coated kite string, while nine people died due to falls from rooftops or road accidents during kite-flying activities. Six deaths were reported from Saurashtra–Kutch and six from Central Gujarat.

Last year, the 108 emergency services helpline handled 4,948 emergency cases, marking a 30 per cent increase compared to 2024. Of these, 1,050 cases were related to falls, collisions and other injuries recorded in 2025.

Why Chinese kite string is dangerous

Unlike ordinary cotton string, Chinese kite string is made of nylon synthetic fibre coated with a sticky mixture containing glass or metal particles. This makes it extremely hard and razor-sharp, significantly increasing the risk of serious injuries or fatal accidents, even when the string becomes entangled in electric wires or trees.