Two held with deadly manjha on tip-off

Lucknow: In action against the sale and use of hazardous Chinese manjha that poses a serious threat to public safety, the Bazaarkhala police arrested two men and seized banned kite-flying material during a special enforcement drive in the city.Police said a week-long special drive is being conducted from Feb 6-12 to curb the manufacturing, storage, sale and use of synthetic, nylon and metal-coated kite strings (Chinese manjha), which have been responsible for several fatal accidents and injuries across UP. As part of the drive under the directives of CM Yogi Adityanath, on Feb 9, a police team from Bazaarkhala police station conducted random searches in shops selling kites and got a tip-off about the purchase of heavy manjha by two men recently.Police conducted a background check and found that the two were neither related to any club nor participating in any competition. A team was formed. They began a checking drive in civvies and located the two with the help of CCTV cameras. After 10 hours of groundwork, the team stopped two suspicious persons during a routine checking drive at the Haiderganj trisection. Upon search, the police found three bobbins (charkhi) of dangerous manjha and 11 kites from their possession. The accused were commuting on a motorcycle, which was also seized. The arrested accused were identified as Sadaf Ali (20), son of Haider Ali, and Ayan Khan (21), son of Chandu, both residents of Maleshemau, Gomtinagar.DCP, west zone, Vishwajeet Srivastava said that only a chemical test will determine which manjha the two possessed, but the one in their possession was very dangerous and was possibly brought from Bareilly. "It was illegal possession and posed a grave risk to pedestrians, bikers and animals," said the DCP. An FIR was registered at Bazaarkhala police station under section 270 (causing danger in public place) of BNS against the two. The accused were taken into custody, and further legal proceedings are underway.Police said that the two failed to give a proper explanation for carrying the dangerous manjha and claimed that they were kite enthusiasts and used to win using these threads for a long time. Police said that the two were going to Talkatora for kite flying from Gomtinagar.Police officials reiterated that strict action will continue against those dealing in banned manjha, warning that violations will attract stringent legal consequences in the interest of public safety.The police got on their toes after the death of 34-year-old Mohammed Shoaib due to a nylon kite string at the Haiderganj bridge in Lucknow's Bazaarkhala area on Feb 5, and a spate of similar injury cases reported from different parts of the city.