A four-year-old girl has died after her throat was slit by a glass-coated kite as she was riding on a motorcycle with her father. 

The girl was travelling with her father to a temple in New Delhi, India, when nearly half her neck was cut by the string, the Times of India reported.

The incident happened on Saturday.

According to local media reports, this is the second such case in one week.

Kite flying is a popular sport in India but it has become increasingly deadly in recent years amid fierce competition.

People now modify kite strings with metal or glass in an attempt to cut down competitor’s kites.

A 28-year-old engineer died on India's  Independence Day, August 15, when his throat was slit by a kite string as he was riding his motorbike in Delhi, media reports said.

A three-year-old boy was reportedly electrocuted after his kite string – believed to be wet and coated with metal – came into contact with an electric wire in the city.

Last month, a three-year-old died after a kite string became entangled around her uncle’s neck in southern Delhi, as the pair who were riding on a motorcycle, crashed and fell off a flyover, according to News18 television.

Animal rights groups have also called for tougher action by the police and state authorities, after a number of birds were maimed or killed by the strings.