Chinese manja causing tragedy during Sankranti, warns Hyderabad Police Commissioner

Hyderabad: Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Anand Sajjanar on Friday expressed anguish over the recurring tragedies caused by banned Chinese manja during Sankranti celebrations. He issued a strong public appeal through a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), urging citizens to reject the dangerous thread.

CP warns that banned thread continues to take lives

Sajjanar said Sankranti should be a time of joy, yet several families are left in mourning because of injuries and deaths caused by plastic-coated Chinese manja. “Flying a kite is a festive joy. But the thread in your hands is turning into a death trap for others,” he wrote.

The Commissioner said the sharp nylon thread is not only harming people but also killing birds by severing their wings. These repeated incidents, he added, continue to deeply disturb him.

Buyers equally responsible, not just sellers

Highlighting the illegality of the material, Sajjanar stated that both sellers and buyers of Chinese manja are criminals. “Knowingly buying banned manja and risking lives for a moment of thrill is no less a crime,” he said. “Who is accountable for the lives lost and those hospitalised?”

He called on citizens to empathise with grieving families and act responsibly by abandoning the use of Chinese manja entirely.

Strict surveillance, year-round action to continue

Sajjanar acknowledged that police drives and the #SayNoToChineseManja campaign helped reduce incidents compared to last year. However, he said even the few cases reported this Sankranti were tragic. He announced that year-round surveillance on manja sales would continue, along with raids to enforce the ban.