Illegal Chinese manja worth Rs 90 lakh seized in raids across Hyderabad; 148 held

Hyderabad: As many as 148 persons were arrested in 107 cases involving the sale of the prohibited Chinese manja worth almost Rs 90 lakh. As many as 7,334 Chinese manja bobbins were seized in raids held over three months—from October 1, 2024, to January 13, 2025.

Keeping in view the hazardous nature of the manja that has caused many deaths over the years, seven task force teams headed by DCP YVS Sudeendra, Addl. DCP Ande Srinivasa Rao along with the SHOs of the police stations raided several locations in the city to stop the illegal business of selling the banned manja.

During a press conference on Monday, the police said that the seizures during the raids have greatly reduced the number of Chinese manja in the market, almost to nil. They said that so far no threat to human or animal life has been reported due to the banned manja.

Why is Chinese manja dangerous?

The use of Chinese manja, a synthetic nylon string coated with abrasive materials like powdered glass or metal, poses significant risks to public safety, wildlife and the environment. Despite bans in several regions, its availability and use during kite festivals and other events continue to raise serious concerns. There have been many incidents of people dying due to the use of Chinese manja for kites.

Details of cases and arrests

Here’s a breakdown of the seizures and arrests made regarding across Hyderabad.

South Zone

Cases-15

Persons arrested-18

Quantity seized-2,586

Worth of seizure-Rs 31,03,200

South East Zone

Cases-17

Persons arrested-26

Quantity seized-578

Worth of seizure-Rs 6,93,600

South West Zone

Cases-32

Persons arrested-36

Quantity seized-1,826

Worth of seizure-Rs 21,91,200

East Zone

Cases-19

Persons arrested-30

Quantity seized-1,008

Worth of seizure-Rs 12,09,600

North Zone

Cases-14

Persons arrested-24

Quantity seized-1,108

Worth of seizure-Rs 13,29,600

Central Zone

Cases-4

Persons arrested-6

Quantity seized-134

Worth of seizure-Rs 1,60,800

West Zone

Cases-6

Persons arrested-8

Quantity seized-94

Worth of seizure-Rs 1,12,800

The total worth of seizures is Rs 88,00,800.

The public is advised not to use Chinese manja and should follow precautionary measures while flying kites during this festival season.