Makar Sankranti: Police To Strictly Enforce Ban On Chinese ‘Manja’ For Kite Flying In Cuttack

Cuttack: With the people set to celebrate Makar Sankranti by flying kites in Odisha’s Cuttack on Monday, police have warned them against using the Chinese ‘Manja” (glass-coated synthetic threads) and plastic threads for the purpose.

Cuttack Additional DCP Anil Mishra on Sundays told the media that strict action would be taken against those flying kites using the Chinese Manja threads. Since such threads contain glass and iron dust and other sharp materials, those pose serious threat to the people, particularly the two-wheeler drivers and birds.

The police will strictly enforce the ban on use of the Chinese Manja threads. To strictly enforce the ban, special police teams have been formed to inspect the kite shops and take action. If any shopkeeper is found selling the banned items, they and those found using those will be booked.

Despite a ban on Chinese Manja, plastic threads and threads coated with fine glass particles continue to be sold at different places in the city, especially during kite-flying competitions.

It may be noted here that in December 2021, a man died after his throat got slit by the Manja (glass-coated kite string) when he was going on a motorcycle with his wife to his father-in-law’s place at Pirbazaar in Cuttack.

In 2016, a five-year-old girl was killed after her throat got slit by a sharp kite string at Telengapentha under Sadar police limits in the city.

This apart, several others sustained injuries after getting entangled in Manja thread in Odisha in the last few years.