“Continue Monitoring, Registering Cases To Ensure Deaths, Injuries Due To Chinese Manjha Can Be Avoided”: Delhi HC To Police

The Delhi High Court has recently directed the city police to continue monitoring and registering cases to avoid deaths and injuries caused due to Chinese manjha, used for kite-flying.

Therefore, the high court took note of the status reports filed by the Delhi Police from which it emerged that continuous monitoring is also being carried out in wholesale and retail markets along with shop owners’ associations to ensure that the sale of Chinese manjha is curbed to the maximum.

Justice Prathiba M Singh stated, “Needless to add, the Delhi Police shall continue its continuous monitoring and regular registering of cases so that injuries/ deaths due to Chinese manjha can be avoided to the maximum possible extent.”

The high court heard 4 cases related to the death of 4 people after their throats got slit by threads made of polyester, nylon, plastic or any other synthetic material, also known as Chinese manjha, which was being used for flying kites in the national capital.

The pleas were filed by the family members of the victims who have sought action against those responsible and compensation from the authorities.

Earlier, in compliance with the court’s order, the Delhi State Legal Services Authority filed a report stating that the victims of Chinese manjha would be covered by the Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme, 2018.

However, the statute does provide for maximum amount of compensation that can be paid.

The maximum compensation for loss of life under the scheme is Rs 10 lakh.

The court stated that it will need to hear the issue of whether any more compensation than prescribed under the Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme can be granted, and if so, in what manner.

It listed the matter for further hearing on November 1.

The court has been regularly monitoring these petitions after there was a sudden surge in deaths and injuries caused due to the menace of Chinese manjha.

It noted several cases have been registered by the city police against the defaulters.

Earlier, the high court directed the police to ensure that Chinese manjha was not sold in the national capital during the Independence Day.

In February, the court directed the crime branch of Delhi Police to investigate the manufacture, sale, purchase and storage of Chinese synthetic ‘manjha’, used for flying kites.

It stated that such dangerous threads are used by children and young adults for kite flying and it is the duty of the authorities to ensure they are not made available.

It directed the Delhi government to ensure strict compliance of the orders passed by it as well as the National Green Tribunal banning the sale of Chinese synthetic manjha.