Indian teen beaten to death after kite-flying dispute

kiteNEW DELHI — A group of teenagers kicked and beat a 17-year-old to death after a kite-flying dispute on the rooftops of the Indian capital.

Rajan Chand had been flying a kite in a northeast Delhi neighbourhood Friday when he apparently angered another boy by snapping the line on his kite, police said. The boy allegedly threatened Chand, who ignored the threat as a passing remark, police said.

The next evening the boy and three others attacked Chand and his friend, hitting Chand with a metal object and beating the two until they were unconscious in the street, police said.

Chand was declared dead at the hospital late Saturday, while his friend was still receiving treatment on Monday.

Police officer V.V. Choudhary said a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old were arrested after the attack. Local residents on Sunday demonstrated in front of the police station against the killing.

It was not clear if Chand and the other boy had been in a kite-flying competition or if it was just an accident. Kite-flying can be fiercely competitive in India and other South Asian countries, with competitors often coating their lines with powdered glass in order to slice through others’ lines.

August is considered peak season for kite flying in northern India, with the monsoon season bringing strong, warm