The Pune city police Saturday launched a crackdown against the sale of banned nylon manja — kite string sharpened by powdered glass — which had led to the death of humans, birds and animals. The action has come ahead of Makar Sankrant celebrations when large numbers of people fly kites.
Following a tip-off, the sleuths from Unit 4 of the Pune city police’s crime branch raided a shop in the Old Khadki Bazar area in Khadki. They seized multiple bundles of nylon manja from the shop owned by Adip Abdul Karim Tamboli.
The police booked Tamboli under Indian Penal Code section 188 which pertains to disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant, in this case the order being the ban on the use and sale of nylon manja. The police also invoked provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
Officials said Tamboli was booked in 2021 too for illegal possession and sale of nylon manja.
In the first week of December, a 45-year-old businessman from Daund taluka died after sustaining a grievous cut injury on his throat due to a stray manja. The deceased, Pannalal Yadav, was riding a bike at the time. In October 2018, a 26-year-old doctor in Pune died due to severe injuries she sustained because of nylon manja while she was riding her bike in the Nashik Phata area.
After multiple incidents of people sustaining injuries due to the sharp nylon manjas in the Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, the Aurangabad rural police formed specialised teams at each police station to crack down on its illegal sales.
