Skyward Bound: Mangaluru Eyes Permanent Wings for Coastal Tourism

Bidar (Karnataka): A routine ride turned fatal when a nylon kite string slit the throat of a 48-year-old motorcyclist in Karnataka’s Bidar district, claiming his life in a chilling reminder of the deadly threat posed by banned kite-flying materials.

The victim, identified as Sanjukumar Hosamani, was riding near the Talamadagi Bridge when a taut kite string stretched across the road cut deep into his neck, causing profuse bleeding. Critically injured, Hosamani collapsed from his motorcycle but managed to place a final phone call to his daughter.

A disturbing video circulating on social media shows Hosamani drenched in blood, struggling to dial his daughter’s number as life ebbed away.

A passerby attempted to help by pressing a cloth against the wound to stop the bleeding. Locals said an ambulance was called immediately, but it arrived too late. Hosamani succumbed to his injuries before he could be taken to a hospital.

Family members have blamed the delay in emergency response for his death, alleging that timely medical assistance could have saved his life.

Following the incident, Hosamani’s relatives and local residents staged a protest at the accident spot, demanding strict action against the use of nylon kite strings and urgent improvements in emergency medical services.

Police have registered a case at Manna Ekhelli Police Station and said an investigation is underway.

Kite flying during Makar Sankranti is a long-standing tradition across many parts of India. While cotton strings coated with powdered glass were once common, they have increasingly been replaced by cheaper and more durable nylon strings. This durability, however, has proven lethal, as nylon can slice through skin with ease.

Commonly referred to as Chinese manjha, these strings pose a grave danger to two-wheeler riders, who often fail to notice the nearly invisible lines stretched across roads and flyovers.

The Karnataka incident is the latest in a series of such deaths reported across the country. Just this week, a 45-year-old man in Indore died after a kite string slit his throat. Delhi has witnessed multiple fatalities in recent years, including the deaths of a 22-year-old businessman in 2025, a biker in 2022, and a seven-year-old child in 2023.

Despite periodic raids and seizures by authorities, the recurring deaths underline serious gaps in enforcement, raising questions about whether current measures are sufficient to prevent further loss of life.

Following a record-breaking response to experimental joyrides during the Karavali Utsava, the Dakshina Kannada district administration has signaled a major shift toward high-end travel. Officials are now laying the groundwork to transform Mangaluru into a permanent heli-tourism hub, connecting the state’s most sacred pilgrim centers and untouched coastal gems via the skies.

The move comes as the Karnataka government readies a specialized tourism policy for the coast, aimed at drawing global investors. With Mangaluru already serving as a critical nexus for education, healthcare, and maritime trade, the introduction of a scheduled helicopter service is seen as the "missing link" in the region’s economic evolution.

By the Numbers: A Flying Success

The data from the recent 10-day trial (beginning December 26) paints a clear picture of high demand:

•    Total Passengers: 1,032
•    Ride Duration: 7 minutes
•    Ticket Price: ₹3,500 per person
•    Origin of Tourists: Significant turnout from Kerala, Udupi, and Karwar.

Bridging the Gap for Global Travelers

Deputy Commissioner Darshan HV emphasized that the vision extends far beyond festival joyrides. Currently, international tourists arriving via luxury cruises at the New Mangalore Port (peak season December–April) often find themselves "landlocked" by time.

"Foreign visitors staying for just 24 to 48 hours currently struggle to visit inland attractions like Chikkamagaluru or Kodagu due to road travel times," a senior official noted. "A permanent heli-link would make these Western Ghats destinations accessible in under 30 minutes."

Beyond Tourism: Medical and Logistics

The administration is also looking at the humanitarian and logistical benefits. As a medical powerhouse, Mangaluru’s private hospitals could utilize the proposed permanent helipads for:

1.    Cardiac Emergencies: Rapid transfer of critical patients.
2.    Organ Transplants: Vital "green corridors" through the air to save lives.
3.    Regional Connectivity: Linking remote areas like Puttur, Sullia, and Beltangady to the main city.

While the Karavali Utsava has traditionally focused on beach-side festivities, the DC confirmed that the district is now evaluating formal proposals from private operators. The goal is to establish a network of permanent helipads that will eventually offer regular sorties to Kudremukh National Park and the scenic heights of the Western Ghats.

US officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

While the exact dollar figure and logistics of any payment are unclear, US officials, including White House aides, have discussed figures ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person, said two of the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

The idea of directly paying residents of Greenland, an overseas territory of Denmark, offers one explanation of how the US might attempt to "buy" the island of 57,000 people, despite authorities' insistence in Copenhagen and Nuuk that Greenland is not for sale.

The tactic ⁠is among various plans being discussed by the White House for acquiring Greenland, including potential use of the U.S. military. But it risks coming off as overly transactional and even degrading to a population that has long debated its own independence and its economic dependence on Denmark. "Enough is enough ... No more fantasies about annexation," Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday after U.S. President Donald Trump again told reporters the U.S. needed to acquire the island.

European leaders say decision for Greenland, Denmark

Leaders in Copenhagen and throughout Europe have reacted to comments by Trump and other White House officials asserting their right to Greenland in recent days with disdain, particularly given that the U.S. and Denmark are NATO allies bound by a mutual defense agreement. On Tuesday, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Britain and Denmark issued a joint statement, saying only Greenland and Denmark can decide matters regarding their relations.

Asked for comment about discussions to purchase the island, including the possibility of direct payments to Greenlanders, the White House referred Reuters to remarks by press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday.

During a press briefing, Leavitt acknowledged that Trump and his national security aides were "looking at what a potential purchase would look like." Rubio said he would meet his Danish counterpart next week in Washington to discuss Greenland.

The Danish embassy declined to comment, and Greenland's representative office in Washington did not ⁠respond to a request for comment.

Greenland discussions increasingly serious

Trump has long argued that the US needs to acquire Greenland on several grounds, including that it is rich in minerals needed for advanced military applications. He has also said the Western Hemisphere broadly needs to be under the geopolitical influence of Washington.

While internal deliberations regarding how to seize Greenland have occurred among Trump's aides since before he took office a year ago, there has been renewed urgency ⁠after his government captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a daring snatch-and-grab operation over the weekend, according to sources familiar with internal deliberations.

One source ⁠said White House aides were eager to carry over the momentum from the Maduro operation toward accomplishing Trump's other long-standing geopolitical goals.

"We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark isn't going to be able to do it," Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday. "It's so strategic."

One of the sources familiar with White House deliberations said the internal discussions regarding lump sum payments were not necessarily new. However, that person said, they had gotten more serious in recent days, and aides were entertaining higher values, with a $100,000-per-person payment - which would result in a total payment of almost $6 billion - a real possibility.

Many details of any potential payments were unclear, such as when and how they would be doled out if the Trump administration pursued that route or what exactly would be expected of the Greenlanders in exchange. The White House has said military intervention is possible, though officials have also said the U.S. prefers buying the island or otherwise acquiring it through diplomatic means.

Free association agreement one option

Among the possibilities being floated by Trump's aides, a White House official said on Tuesday, is trying to enter into a type of agreement with the island called a Compact of Free Association.

The precise details of COFA agreements - which have only ever been extended to the small island nations of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau - vary depending on the signatory. But the US government typically provides many essential services, such as mail delivery and military protection. In exchange, the US military operates freely in COFA countries, and trade with the US is largely duty-free.

COFA agreements have previously been inked with independent countries, and Greenland would likely need to separate from Denmark for such a plan to proceed. In theory, payments could be used to induce Greenlanders to vote for their independence, or to sign onto a COFA after such a vote.

While polls show an overwhelming majority of Greenlanders want independence, concerns about the economic costs of separating from Denmark - among other issues - have kept most Greenlandic legislators from calling for an independence referendum.

Surveys also show most Greenlanders, while open to separating from Denmark, do not want to be part of the US.