Chennai police have detained four persons for questioning in connection to the death of a three-year-old boy near Korukkupet on Sunday. The child, who was traveling on a bike with his father, was killed after his neck was slit by a 'manja' thread floating through the air. Manja is a cotton thread coated with finely powdered glass and is attached to kites. It is used in kite flying competition, to cut off the thread held by an opponent.
According to police sources, four persons have been detained for an inquiry by the RK Nagar police. The child, Abhinayu, was riding back home with his father Gopal from a relative's house in Tondiarpet when the manja thread floated down from a lamppost and tangled itself around his neck. The child began to cry in pain and when a shocked Gopal stopped his bike, he saw that the child's neck was bleeding and he was severely injured. He rushed him to Stanley Government Hospital but the child died due to the grievous injuries.
"It was most unfortunate that the child died right in front of his parent," says a senior police official. "We have detained four persons to conduct enquiries. The detained persons are young and aged 15, 18, 19 and 20. Because some parents don't monitor their children and wards properly, others are suffering," he adds.
Residents near Korukkupet meanwhile allege that there has been extensive flying of kites in the area for the last two months.
"There has been a large number of kites being flown the last two months. The police should get hold of the people who are selling this thread and put an end to this," said one resident to Puthiya Thalaimurai.
In 2015, following the death of four people in three years, the Chennai police issued a prohibitory order banning flying kites with manja. Even before the prohibitory orders, the ban on the sale and use of manja had been in existence under section 71 of the City Police Act. The order was issued after the death of a five-year-old boy due to the manja thread in Perambur.