13 held during drive against Chinese manjha

Lucknow: Acting on directives from the Allahabad high court, the National Green Tribunal, and the Uttar Pradesh govt, police across the state carried out a special drive against the manufacture, storage, use, and sale of banned Chinese manja and synthetic, glass-coated nylon kite strings.According to official data, enforcement teams inspected 117 warehouses and 11,899 shops during the week-long drive. The drive led to the seizure of a large quantity of illegal synthetic manja and glass-coated nylon strings, valued at approximately Rs 1.93 lakh.Police registered 14 FIRs in connection with the violations. A total of 13 accused were named in these cases, with one additional individual identified during the investigation. All 13 accused were arrested.Authorities said strict instructions were issued to all police commissioners and district police chiefs across Uttar Pradesh to ensure a complete ban on the sale and use of hazardous kite strings, which pose serious risks to public safety, especially during festive seasons.