BHOPAL: Continuing its directions after taking suo motu cognisance of the deadly menace of Chinese manja, the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed authorities in the Indore and Ujjain regions to strictly enforce the ban on the razor-sharp thread and prosecute offenders for causing death by negligence.
The directions by the division bench on December 11 and January 12 came in the wake of two deaths in Indore within less than 45 days.
16-year-old Gulshan from Indore’s Tejaji Nagar was killed on November 30, 2025 after using razor-sharp Chinese Nylon Thread (Manja).
The death comes just 42 days after a 45-year-old tiles contractor Raghubir Dhakad was killed in similar fashion in Indore’s Tilak Nagar area, following deep wounds in throat due to the killer Manja.
Following the teenager’s death on November 30, 2025, the High Court took cognisance of the Chinese manja menace on December 8, 2025. On December 11, 2025, it directed authorities in the Indore and Ujjain regions to strictly enforce the ban on the manufacture, storage, sale and use of manja.
Taking up the matter again on January 12, just a day after Raghubir was killed, the HC’s division bench, comprising Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi, also directed the authorities to publish “that if anybody is found selling or using the said thread, that offender may also be prosecuted for commission of offence under Section 106(1) of BNS 2023 (Section 304-A of IPC) in case of death. In case any minor is found using the Chinese Nylon Thread, then his guardian may also be made responsible.”
“The Indore district collector Shivam Verma, who was present in the HC on Monday, submitted that he will pass the necessary orders on Monday only, which shall be immediately circulated to all the adjoining districts as well,” senior advocate Vivek Sharan, who has been appointed as Amicus Curiae by the HC in the matter, told TNIE on Tuesday.
Ahead of the Makar Sankranti festival (January 14) when kite-flying is at its peak, due to which the sale and use of Chinese Manja may cause more accidents and casualties, the HC asked the competent authorities to pass strict orders to implement the ban of Manja.
The HC also directed the appropriate authorities (police commissioners, district collectors and police superintendent) in Ujjain, Dewas, Dhar, Khargone, Barwani, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, Shajapur, Indore and Rajgarh districts, to undertake social awareness campaigns through print and social media for not using the Chinese Nylon Thread.
“The public at large should also be made aware with regard to the legal/penal consequences of the use and sale of the Chinese Nylon Thread (Manja),” the HC directed while posting the matter for next hearing on January 16.
