Chennai: In the wake of the recent death of a five-year-old boy due to a loose manja thread, city police commissioner on Wednesday issued a prohibitory order banning manja or any other similar thread for flying kites.
Though a ban on sale and usage of manja threads has been in existence under section 71 of the city police act, this is the first time a prohibitory order has been issued which attracts charges under more stringent sections including culpable homicide for the offence. The initial order will be in place for a period of 60 days.
“There have been 14 cases of grievous injuries in the past three years caused by loose manja threads. Of these, four have been fatal. Your entertainment should not be lethal for another,” Commissioner S.George told media persons.
“This (prohibitory order) will strengthen the case against traders and users and the offender cannot claim ignorance of the act,” he added. After the incident on Sept. 27 at Perambur, where R. Ajai (5) died while travelling on a two-wheeler with his family, police have intensified raids and have booked more than 250 cases against offenders.
The CoP drew references from other states like Punjab where an ordinance was passed against use of manja and other states like Maharashtra and Gujarat where a ban is in place.
To further their case, police made a demonstration by using a manja thread to cut a cucumber. “In case of a cut injury by a manja thread, the blood vessels to the brain will be cut and this blood might fill the respiratory tract. The victim will either die by blood loss or by respiratory trouble due to blood filling the tract,” Prof Dr S. Bala Subramaninam, Department of Forensic medicine at Government Stanley Medical College said.
