CHENNAI: Despite a ban on the use of ‘manja’ thread, a 35-year-old woman sustained injures near her eyes after she was allegedly slit by a glass-coated thread at the Kodambakkam bridge on Monday afternoon.Priya* (name changed), who works in the accounts department at a private hospital in Kodambakkam, was returning from work at around 2.30 pm on her two-wheeler.
“Minutes after I climbed the Kodambakkam bridge, I felt a cut on my nose and eyes. I immediately stopped as I had a stinging pain. As I braked suddenly, a car hit my bike from behind,” she said.
It was a narrow escape for Priya as she was wearing a helmet and she escaped with injures on her nose and under her eye. Priya was rushed back to the hospital, where she underwent treatment and was discharged.
The victim said, “I use the same bridge everyday and I have noticed youth flying kites.” She has not filed a police complaint yet.
Meanwhile, a police officer from Kodambakkam said, “We have been conducting regular checks and also spreading awareness about the ban of manja threads and urged the public to report if they find anybody flying kites.”
In July 2017, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) banned the use of ‘Chinese’ kite strings, made of nylon or any synthetic material, which is non-biodegradable.
They also directed all State governments to prohibit “manufacture, sale, storage, purchase and use” of synthetic manja or nylon threads and all other synthetic strings used for flying kites with immediate effect. A senior police officer claims that when they conduct raids and seize manja threads, they normally do not book people as most are juveniles.
Manja threat
April 24, 2020: A 56-year-old man injured in Maduravoyal
April 15, 2020: A 25-year-old man injured in Anna Salai
Nov 2019: A three-year-old boy lost his life in Korrukpet
Oct 2018: A 24-year-old bike rider injured near Vyasarapadi.
March 2017: A 40-year-old techie died after a stray ‘manja’ kite thread slit his throat on Anakaputhur stretch of Chennai bypass
Sept 2015: A five-year-old boy died at Perambur