Chinese manja thread injuries reported across Odisha during Makar Sankranti, special teams formed to arrest offenders

Odisha has witnessed a spate of injuries linked to the use of manja thread during Makar Sankranti celebrations, raising fresh concerns over public safety and enforcement of existing restrictions. Several incidents have been reported from different parts of the state, with authorities reiterating warnings against the use and sale of the hazardous thread.

During this year’s Makar Sankranti celebrations on Wednesday, multiple cases of injuries caused by manja thread were reported from across the state. After an earlier incident in Pokhariput in Bhubaneswar, similar cases surfaced in Balasore and Dhenkanal, heightening public concern.

On Wednesday, a person in Balasore sustained serious injuries to his neck after coming into contact with manja thread. On the same day, a youth in Dhenkanal town was injured after being struck by kite manja, suffering deep injuries to his nose and fingers.

Balasore Case Details

The injured person in Balasore has been identified as Bhagirathi Behera. He had travelled to Bhogarai with his acquaintances and was returning when a piece of manja thread came into contact with him. As per reports, a kite being flown by a young boy snapped and drifted towards the victim. Behera later realised he had been injured after experiencing a burning sensation on his neck. He also sustained injuries to his hand while trying to free himself from the thread.

His acquaintances rushed him to Balasore hospital, where he received treatment. The victim did not sustain critical injuries and was discharged after treatment, with his health reported to have recovered at the time of reporting. Concerns have been raised that the incident could have turned fatal had his vehicle been moving at a higher speed.

Enforcement And Legal Warnings

Another incident was reported on Wednesday from Fakir Mohan College Square in Balasore, where a person sustained injuries to his hands. Reports indicate that at least five such incidents were recorded in Balasore alone. Overall, more than 15 people have reportedly been injured across Odisha.

Despite earlier guidelines prohibiting the sale of China thread or manja thread, reports suggest that it continues to be sold illegally and secretly. 

Bhubaneswar police conducted raids across shops in the Unit-1 market area to curb the sale of manja thread. Police have warned that if flying kites with manja thread results in bodily harm to pedestrians or vehicle riders, it will be treated as culpable homicide, with action taken against both the flyer and the seller.

Also Read: Manja thread used for kite flying leaves two critically injured in Odisha

Bhubaneswar police have formed a special team to identify and arrest individuals using manja thread, while similar measures are being adopted in other areas of the state.