Three people sustained injuries with one patient under critical condition after being cut by the banned manja thread in Chennai. Three different incidents in Ennore within a span of two days lead the police to crackdown and arrest 150 people in the city involved in flying kites with manja. Manja is a thread coated with finely powdered glass and is used for kite flying. The banned thread is used in kite flying competition, to cut off an opponent’s kite.
Madhavan of Chintadripet was returning home after work in his two-wheeler when a manja thread slit his neck when he was crossing GNT Road near Madhavaram police station. Madhavan, who collapsed onto the ground, was immediately rushed to the Stanley Government Hospital and the doctors administered him with over 15 stitches. He is reported to be stable, said a report.
In another incident, Ramani of Ennore who was working at a clothing shop in the locality was returning home after work on a two-wheeler with her friend. While driving on Ennore Express Road, a manja thread dangling in the air slit her neck. She also suffered fracture on her right hand after the two-wheeler she was riding toppled. Ramani was immediately rushed to Stanley Government Hospital and her health is still critical. Her friend also sustained minor injuries.
On Saturday, Purushotaman of Madhavaram was riding his two-wheeler to purchase fish in Tiruvottiyur, a day before the Sunday lockdown in the state. He also sustained injuries due to the manja thread.
Based on the three mishaps in a span of two days due to the manja menace, the police launched a crackdown in different parts of the city, said a report. In the raids in North Beach, Thiruvottiyur, Ennore and Royapuram more than 200 kites and 50 manja thread roles were seized. The police also arrested 150 persons in connection with the manja menace in the city.
Recently, a couple Jayakumar and Maheshwari working as police personnel in Chennai sustained injuries after a thread slit Jayakumar’s neck and both of them fell from a bike in Padi flyover. The Villivakkam police inspector S Rajeesh Babu was transferred since the maanja menace was reported in his jurisdiction.
In 2015, the Chennai police issued a prohibitory order banning flying kites with manja.
In 2017, the National Green Tribunal banned the production, storage and sales of manja in India since the thread has the potential to make deep cuts leading to death of persons or animals. However, in May this year, following a spate of injuries during the lockdown, the police said those flying kites using the manja thread will be detained under the Goondas Act.