Rights Panel Crack Down On Chinese Manja Menace

The commission has asked the police chief to submit a comprehensive report in three sets by February 26 in HR Case No. 58/2026. The case was taken up on a petition filed by city‑based human rights lawyer Rama Rao Immaneni on behalf of a victim injured by the deadly string.

The petition cited a series of fatal and near‑fatal cases, including those of Jaswant Reddy of Keesara, a youth named Jameel who sustained severe neck injuries, and another man, Ashok, who reportedly suffered serious wounds.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has registered a separate case against leading e‑commerce platforms for allegedly facilitating the sale of Chinese manja despite the ban. Acting on a complaint filed by Immaneni, the NHRC registered Case No. 29887/IN/2025 against platforms including Amazon, Meesho and Patang Dori, among others, questioning whether commercial interests were being placed above human lives.

The complainant stressed that lives were being lost across the country due to the unchecked sale and use of Chinese manja. He referred to a representation submitted to the Union home ministry, urging the chief secretary to take stringent nationwide measures. He also sought compensation for families of victims who lost their lives to the killer string. ENDS

Digital Overhaul Underway In Telangana Jails

HYDERABAD: Telangana’s prison administration is undergoing rapid digitisation, with a series of technology‑driven and reform‑oriented initiatives being rolled out across the State.

Director general of prisons Dr Soumya Mishra told Deccan Chronicle that a new district jail with a capacity of 415 inmates at Siddipet is ready for commissioning. The facility includes a state‑of‑the‑art high‑security Swastik Super Max cell, designed to lodge suspects posing threats to national security, including those arrested by the NIA, CI Cell and other intelligence agencies. Currently, around 40 Maoist inmates are lodged in state prisons.

As part of the digital overhaul, a “welcome” portal for visitors and 52 kiosk machines for inmates are being installed across prisons. An IT cell has been set up, and by the end of January, all inmates will mark attendance through biometric systems. Inmates will also be able to file appeal petitions online directly before courts through their counsel. For the first time, the prisons department has appointed its own legal counsel, while seven educated inmates with a background in law have been identified to assist fellow prisoners.

Dr Mishra said three officers were recently suspended for negligence that led to an inmate’s escape. “Such negligence will not be tolerated. Any officer failing to perform duties as per the Prison Rule Book will be prosecuted under prison laws,” she warned.

On the reform front, literacy and skill development are being prioritised. Under the Thumb In–Sign Out programme, 23,220 prisoners have become literate and are now able to sign their names. Skill training is being imparted in 28 trades, with 4,615 prisoners —79 per cent of the inmate population — trained in various professions by 2025.

For the first time in the country, de‑addiction centres have been set up inside prisons. Environment‑friendly initiatives are also gaining ground, with 489 kg of honey collected through beekeeping activities in six jails. Recycling programmes to convert old newspapers, plastic and iron scrap into useful products under the best out of waste initiative are also being implemented successfully. ENDS

Traffic Chaos On Nh As Timber-Laden Truck Overturns

HYDERABAD: Sankranti rush on the Hyderabad–Vijayawada highway turned chaotic on Tuesday after a timber‑laden lorry overturned near Inamguda in Abdullapurmet police limits, causing a massive traffic jam.

Police said the vehicle lost control and toppled onto its side, spilling logs across the carriageway. The obstruction brought traffic to a standstill, with congestion stretching nearly six kilometres, from Inamguda up to the Outer Ring Road.

The incident coincided with heavy festive movement, as thousands of commuters were travelling towards Andhra Pradesh for Sankranti. Motorists were stranded for two to three hours before clearance operations began.

Officials noted that about eight kilometres of the National Highway towards Vijayawada fall under Abdullapurmet police jurisdiction. Teams from local police and traffic police rushed to the spot, removing the timber and shifting the overturned lorry.

Traffic was gradually restored after the debris was cleared, and the situation was brought under control.