Cops crack down on Chinese manja sellers, apprehend 148 across Hyd

Hyderabad: As the Sankranti festivities reach their height and kites fly high in the skies across the city, the Hyderabad city police are implementing stringent actions against the illegal sale and use of prohibited Chinese manja. The Hyderabad Commissioner’s Task Force has apprehended 148 people and seized banned Chinese manja worth Rs 88 lakh.

This celebration, marked by the spirit of competition among kite flyers, also brings with it a serious concern regarding the safety of humans, animals and birds. In response to the rising incidents of injuries and accidents caused by the use of the dangerous banned string, the Hyderabad city police have ramped up their efforts to combat the illegal sale and use of Chinese manja, a type of kite string known for its sharpness and potential to cause harm.

According to police, the use of Chinese manja, a synthetic nylon string coated with abrasive materials like powdered glass or metal, poses significant risks to public safety, wildlife and the environment. Despite bans in several regions, its availability and use during kite festivals and other events continue to raise serious concerns. There were previous incidents of death of a person due to the use of Chinese manja for kites.

YVS Sudeendra, DCP Task Force, said that the use of the prohibited string is a threat to human safety, hazard to birds and animals and also negatively impacts the environment. “Keeping in view past experiences and incidents, the Hyderabad city Police Commissioner CV Anand, IPS, alerted all the Task Force Teams and Law and Order officers well in advance. As a result, the seven Task Force Teams along with SHOs of concerned police stations have made several raids and booked 107 cases, in which they apprehended 148 accused persons who were indulging in illegal business of prohibited Chinese manja. The officers seized 7,334 Chinese manja bobbins worth around Rs 90 lakh,” said the DCP.

Sudeendra said that following the raids, the availability of Chinese manja is significantly reduced, almost nil. The measure has resulted in no reports of harmful incidents threatening human or animal lives, unlike previous years. The local dealers who sell thread manja are overjoyed with the increase in sale of thread manja due to non-availability of Chinese manja, thereby gaining sufficient profits in their seasonal and traditional business.