AFTER TRAGEDY: On Friday, police removedmanjha hanging from a tree in Old Hubballiwhere a woman died after coming into contactwith the deadly thread on Thursday
Hubballi : Police have registered 11 cases against sellers and users of manjha and intensified raids following the death of Vidya Manjunath Goudar, 38, whose neck was cut by kite string. Nine cases were filed against sellers, one against parents who provided manjha to children and another against users under Section 125 of BNS. Borase urged the public to call 112 if they noticed its sale or use.
Deputy chief minister G Parameshwara expressed shock over the death and said govt had taken it seriously. Despite the existing ban, the continued sale and use of dangerous manjha remained a grave concern, he said, adding that legal provisions would be reviewed and regulations tightened if necessary. He said kite flying should remain a source of joy and that reckless contests or gambling compromising public safety could not be tolerated. He said traditional manjha, made by coating cotton thread with powdered glass, metal dust and adhesive, and synthetic nylon variants could cause serious injuries or death, particularly to two-wheeler riders.
Another motorcyclist was injured in a similar incident. The cases were registered at Vidyanagar, Hubballi Town, Keshwapur, Ghantikeri, Vidyagiri, Old Hubballi, Gokul Road, Dharwad Town and Kasabapet police stations. Police seized manjha, kites and related material from shops. Union minister Pralhad Joshi urged the state govt to take strict action, launch a dedicated portal to curb the sale and use of manjha, and direct police to identify and arrest offenders. MLC Basavaraj Horatti wrote to chief minister seeking a ban on dangerous kite string.
Police commissioner Bhushan Borase said hanging manjha had been removed from Old Hubballi, where Goudar died on Thursday.
