An officer of Bidhannagar police commissionerate was injured on the Parama flyover by a kite string on Sunday afternoon.

Shahnawaz Ali, an assistant sub-inspector, was rushed to Chittaranjan National Medical College and Hospital with a bleeding injury on the forehead after he alarmed the officers on duty on the flyover.

Police said Ali was driving a two-wheeler from Park Circus towards Chingrighata along the Parama flyover on Sunday afternoon when the kite string slashed his forehead.

There was a pillion rider with Ali who was unhurt, police added.

"Ali kept his cool after the string slashed his forehead, moved to a side of the carriageway with his two-wheeler, covered his wound with a cloth and raised the alarm," a police officer said.

"A woman, riding pillion on his two-wheeler, helped Ali tie a cloth around his forehead. Blood oozed down his face and his blue shirt was covered with blood stains by the time he was rescued.

"Earlier in March, Sheik Mohammad Syed, a Tollygunge resident, was injured by a kite string on the flyover when he was riding down the Park Circus ramp to take a left turn towards Gariahat. Syed tried removing the string that slashed a part of his neck with one hand and ended up injuring himself further. He was taken to MR Bangur Hospital for treatment.

Sunday's incident comes within days of the city celebrating Viswakarma Puja when kites are flown as a part of the ritual.

In September 2021, the Kolkata Police had issued a notification saying cops would arrest anyone who uses manja, either Chinese or Indian, laced with glass powder to fly kites on Vishwakarma Puja.

The notification came within days of the state government banning the purchase and use of Chinese synthetic nylon manja thread for flying kites.

"The practice of flying kites using such threads has unfortunately remained," admitted a police officer.

In 2021, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority, which maintains the Parama flyover, installed a wire mesh across a portion of the parapet of the flyover to stop kites.

Senior officers said several awareness drives have been carried out in the adjoining neighbourhoods to stop kite flying in the area.