Activists protest against kite flying with glass strings

Social activists protested in Gujarat against the killing and maiming of hundreds of birds with glass coated kite strings during the celebration of International Kite Festival.

The activists took to streets and spread messages of saving birds while holding banners reading 'Do not kill the birds, let them live'.

A social activist, Bhagwan Bharwadh, said that people should fly kites late in the day to save birds.

"A single kite string leads to death of many birds. Today we have come together to hold this rally for birds who are getting killed. I would like to spread this message among citizens in India that stop flying kites and save birds," said Bharwadh.

The kite festival attracts enthusiastic kite makers and flyers from across the globe. Kites in various shapes dot state's skyline as foreign and local kite flyers compete with each other.

The annual kite-flying festival, which marks the start of spring, involved aerial duels in which participants tried to bring down each other's kites using string coated in a sticky paste of ground-up glass or metal.