Chinese manjha claims 4th life in 2 years in Meerut dist

MEERUT: Chinese manjha (thread used for flying kites) claimed yet another life on Wednesday in the district. A young security guard in a school, Gaurav Rajput, 26, got his throat cut after the manjha ran against his throat while he was on the way to school on his motorcycle.

The accident took place near Ramtal Vatika in the Cantt area. Rajput was wearing a helmet but the manjha bore deep into his throat. Profusely bleeding, Gaurav fell on the road and he died because of excessive bleeding. His death sent a shock wave in his village as he was the only bread earner in his family. His last rites were performed in the village after post mortem. He was the only brother among three sisters and he was blessed with a daughter, one-and-a-half years ago. He was a resident of village Pooth.

A case of culpable homicide has been lodged in Kankerkhera police station.

SSP of Meerut Prabhakar Choudhary has directed in-charges of all police stations to check shops selling kites and manjha in their respective areas and initiate strict action against those involved in selling Chinese manjha.

Despite the ban imposed on the sale of Chinese manjha by the Allahabad High Court, it is available in the market and being used by kite-flyers.

Chinese manjha is no different than the manjha produced locally. However, it is finer, much stronger and cheaper than regular manjha. That is why kite-flyers use it. People had protested against its sale in the district demanding stern action against those selling it and risking lives for profit.

The Chinese manjha has claimed four lives in a span of two years and many others have sustained serious injuries.

A B Pharma student, Ajay, 24, died after the manjha wrapped around his neck on NH 58 on September 23, 2021.

In a similar case, a mason, Nirmal, lost his life on Rohta road after a deep wound inflicted around his neck by Chinese manjha on October 13, 2021. Guddu of Begum Bagh also died similarly on February 5, this year.

Reena of Kasimpur sustained serious injuries to her neck and is still under treatment after receiving 40 stitches. A BSP leader’s son, Ali Raja, advocate S K Dixit, Harendra Singh and his brother Deepak Singh, a cement trader of Lohia Nagar and Dinesh Kumar of Sabun Godam locality are a few victims of Chinese manjha in the district. They all sustained injuries in a span of one year.

People accuse police of initiating action shops selling Chinese manjha after an incident and thereafter no more checks happen.

COPS SPRING INTO ACTION; LONG LIST OF SEVERELY INJURED STILL UNDER TREATMENT