Mumbai police ban nylon manja for a month

MUMBAI: Ahead of Makar Sankranti, Mumbai police ban nylon string for kite flying to prevent injuries, with strict action against violators.

MUMBAI: As Makar Sankranti nears, Mumbai police have banned the storage, sale or use of nylon string or thread, popularly known as manja, used in kite flying, to prevent injuries to humans, animals and birds. People engage in kite flying during Makar Sankranti in the state and the markets are filled with colourful kites and strings to fly these. However, the nylon string or nylon manja has over the years caused grievous injuries to people, especially bikers, and birds.

Mumbai police ban nylon manja for a month

“It has been observed that these injuries often turn fatal, causing death of people and birds. Hence, we have issued a notification, and ban will be in force for one month, from January 11 to February 9. During this period, people cannot use dangerous synthetic strings, commonly known as nylon manja,” said a police officer.

In January last year, 21-year-old Dharavi resident Mohammed Said Israil Farooque lost his life after a kite string cut his throat. Farooque, an A/C mechanic, was returning home around 3:15 pm when the incident occurred on the Borivli East-West flyover bridge.

A notification issued by the police on Friday mentioned that strict action will be taken against people found using nylons strings, under Section 223 (punishment for disobeying a public order issued by a public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.