Cuttack: The Commissionerate Police Monday detained a trader from Jagatpur locality for selling Manja-laced (a typical power coating) kite following the death of a youth after a kite string wound around his neck and sliced through him at Pirabazaar in Cuttack.
The trader is presently being interrogated by Jagatpur police.
“Already a case in connection with the death of the youth has been registered and raids are being carried out in different parts of the city. Raids are presently underway at Naya Sarak and Nandi Sahi areas under Purighat police limits,” Cuttack DCP Prateek Singh said.
“Restrictions were imposed on the use and sale of Manja including nylon and plastic threads. A drive is going on against those involved in manufacturing such ‘deadly threads’. Stringent actions will also be taken,” the DCP Singh added.
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Meanwhile, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has directed its enforcement team Monday to carry out inspections at shops to check the sale and use of such dangerous threads in the city.
It is pertinent to mention, the motorcyclist identified as Jayant Samal of Bhayarpur died Sunday after a Manja-laced kite thread slit his throat at Pirabazaar. The fatal mishap occurred when Samal was returning home along with his wife from his in-law’s house in Cuttack.
“A few youths were flying kites at Pirabazar. The string of a low-flying kite slit Samal’s throat as he could not see its ultrathin thread. He fell down from his bike,” said a local resident.
Jagatpur police rescued and admitted the profusely-bleeding Samal to a private hospital, where doctors declared him ‘brought dead’.
Later, the body of Samal was sent to SCB Hospital for postmortem.
Many people have lost their lives in the past days in similar mishaps caused due to Manja threads in different parts of Cuttack. A minor girl had died near Telengapentha area in the city in January 2016.
Following which, the Orissa High Court directed the Commissionerate Police to keep strict vigil over sale of glass-powdered threads.
Taking the issue seriously, the district administration earlier banned glass-powder coated kite threads in 2017 and had allowed people to use cotton threads instead for flying kite. However, many local people are still using Manja-laced and ultrathin threads for flying kites owing to very poor enforcement of the imposed ban order.
In 2018, the district administration also imposed ban on flying kites at public places and rooftops in the city, while permitting the practice instead in open places specifically identified for the purpose.
PNN