Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 13 (HBTV): The Indore District Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the growing menace of Chinese manjha ahead of the Makar Sankranti festival following several lethal incidents reported in the district.
Speaking to ANI, advocate Akash Sharma said the court took note of the issue and appointed an amicus curiae. ‘Following this, we filed an application in court as the Makar Sankranti festival is approaching, during which kite flying takes place and Chinese manjha is widely used, leading to numerous accidents,’ he said.
Sharma added that the court directed the Indore Commissioner of Police and the district Collector to oversee the sale, purchase, manufacture, and storage of Chinese kite string and to conduct awareness campaigns. ‘The court ordered the authorities to monitor the sale, purchase, manufacture, and storage of Chinese kite string. Directions were also given to conduct awareness campaigns in social and print media and, if necessary, to register criminal cases wherever required,’ he said.
Recalling a recent incident, Sharma said a colleague, advocate Kavita, sustained serious neck injuries on January 7 when a kite string struck her while she was riding a two-wheeler with her daughter. He said she was taken to hospital in time by passersby, adding that the consequences could have been far more severe otherwise.
Meanwhile, multiple throat-slit incidents were reported on Sunday from different parts of the city, prompting the police administration to go on alert ahead of the Makar Sankranti festival. The Indore police have also announced cash rewards for information related to the sale of Chinese kite string, with informers to be honoured for credible inputs. Continuous public announcements are being made to discourage the use of Chinese kite string, Sharma said.
Recently, a 45-year-old man died after a kite string slit his throat while he was riding his motorcycle in Indore. According to Tilak Nagar police station SHO Manish Lodha, the deceased was identified as Raghuveer Dhakar, and the incident occurred between Khajrana Chowk and Bengali Chowk. ‘We received information that a bike rider died after his throat was slit by a kite string. The incident is reported to have occurred between Khajrana Chowk and Bengali Chowk,’ Lodha said. (ANI)