Delhi High Court orders Delhi Police to investigate sale of Chinese manjha in city's markets and shops

The Delhi High Court on Friday ordered the Delhi Police Crime Branch to investigate the manufacture, sale and storage of Chinese manjha (kite-flying threads laced with glass) in markets and shops in the national capital..Justice Prathiba M Singh ordered the Crime Branch to investigate the importers, traders and shopkeepers dealing in manjha and submit a detailed report with the court. "Details of all the markets where the thread is being sold and whether the shopkeepers have been alerted against it should be provided. The status of FIR registered and whether the shopkeepers have been arrayed as accused or not and whether any proceeding have been initiated against officials who are duty bound to stop the sale of Chinese manjha shall also be submitted to the court," the Bench ordered. .Justice Singh passed the order while hearing a batch of petitions filed by the families of those who died or were injured in accidents caused by these threads.The Court was told that many of these people were riding motorcycles when the thread slit their throats. It was also stated that manjha was detrimental to birds and animals as well..After considering the matter, the Court said that considering the fact that kite-flying is done mostly by children and young adults, it is the duty of the authorities to ensure that these dangerous threads are not available in the market.Justice Singh noted that despite the orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as well as communications issued by various authorities regarding the complete ban on the manjha, deaths are still being caused in the national capital."There needs to be a stricter implementation. It would have to be carried out by the officials, including the police authorities, who would have to ensure that the FIRs do not remain paper FIRs and proper investigation is conducted against manufacturer as well as importer and the shopkeepers who would have to be proceeded against as well," the Court underlined..It, therefore, directed the Delhi Police to file a report detailing the position of the FIRs registered for the use of these threads and whether chargesheets have been filed in the cases.District Magistrates (DMs), Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and local police officials have been directed to conduct periodic inspections to ensure that such material is not sold in markets and that consumers are made aware of the exact quality of the threads they may be using."A further affidavit shall be filed in respect of the prayer for compensation to the victims in as much as the deaths of innocent persons caused due to Chinese manjha could also be considered as a dereliction of duty."The Bench also asked the Delhi Police to examine the feasibility of issuing an advisory for installation of plastic guards on motorcycles to render protection to riders.The matter will now be considered on April 12.