Hyderabad CP VC Sajjanar addresses a meeting
Hyderabad: A day after Sankranti Hyderabad Commissioner of Police, VC Sajjanar, on Thursday, January 15, issued a warning against Chinese Manja and said that Kite flying shouldn’t become a death trap for people.
The Hyderabad Police Commissioner said that Sankranti is an annual festival when skies are filled with colourful kites. “However, due to negligence of some, this festival is becoming a curse for birds and motorists. The joy you experience during the festival shouldn’t fill others’ homes with sorrow,” Sajjanar said in a post X.
He stressed that there is a complete ban on “Chinese Manja” in Telangana, adding that the sale, purchase and use of the “Chinese Manja” is against the law.
“These threads are not only harmful to the environment but also act as a death trap for birds. We are witnessing incidents where manja gets entangled around the necks of bikers on the roads, resulting in fatal injuries. Your fun shouldn’t claim the lives of innocent people,” read the post.
Cautioning the public against electrocution, Sajjanar urged people not to fly kites near electric poles and transformers. “If a kite gets stuck in the power lines, do not try to pull it out with iron rods or with wet hands. You could get an electric shock, which could be life-threatening. Be careful!,” he warned.
He also urged the public not to allow children to fly kites on terraces by themselves, expressing concern that the children might fall while flying kites.
“We have placed a special focus on those who sell and use Chinese manja. If anyone breaks the rules, we will register cases under the Environmental Protection Act. Use only cotton threads. Protect the lives of animals and people. Celebrate the Sankranthi festival safely,” Sajjanar concluded.
The Commissioner’s warning comes at a time when a 38-year-old migrant labourer in Telangana’s Sangareddy died after a “Chinese Manja” slit his throat on Wednesday, January 14.
The victim, identified as 38-year-old Avadhesh Kumar, hailed from Uttar Pradesh. He had reached Sangareddy district on Wednesday with a group of labourers for paddy field work. Merely hours after his arrival, his life was cut short.
Though a few incidents were reported in the past where people got injured due to the banned string, this is the first instance of death recorded this year in the state.
Shortly after arriving, he borrowed a motorcycle to visit the local market. However, on the way, he encountered a Chinese manja string stretched across the road. The sharp, glass-coated string slit his throat and caused fatal injuries.
This post was last modified on January 15, 2026 12:17 pm