Hyderabad: Police raids shops across city, manja worth Rs 37L seized so far

The Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force Teams conducted a special drive over the banned Chinese manja in Hyderabad and apprehended the persons who are indulging for selling and transporting of banned Chinese manja. On Friday, the police in South-East, South, East, and South-West zones booked 14 cases and seized 987 bobbins of manja.

As per the police data, in 2023, police booked 39 cases and arrested 47 persons with 2,217 bobbins of banned Chinese manja worth Rs 10.61 lakh. However, in 2024, police booked 49 cases and arrested 61 persons with 6,261 bobbins worth Rs 37.2 lakh manja.

According to the police, Chinese manja is extremely sharp, causing severe injuries and even fatalities, particularly to pedestrians, motorcyclists, kite enthusiasts, and even birds. It has been responsible for numerous cases of cuts and accidents, especially during festive seasons. Made of non-biodegradable nylon, Chinese manja persists in the environment for years. Its improper disposal can clog drainage systems and create hazards in urban areas.

The police said that the sale and use of Chinese manja are prohibited in many States under environmental and wildlife protection laws. Under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, imprisonment up to five years in prison for each failure or contravention, Rs 1 lakh fine for each failure or contravention, and an additional fine up to Rs 5,000 for each day the failure or contravention continues after conviction and imprisonment for up to seven years if the failure or contravention continues for more than one year after conviction.