Manja string accidents fear grip Odisha; no respect for rules in Puri

Repeated accidents caused by manja, the sharp glass-coated kite string, have once again spread fear along Puri’s Bada Danda. Panic resurfaced after a bike rider narrowly escaped death when he lost control of his vehicle after becoming entangled in a manja string.

According to reports, the biker fell on the road after the sharp kite string got caught while he was riding. An eyewitness said the manja wrapped around the rider’s neck, forcing him to lose balance and crash. Two women passing through the area narrowly avoided being hit during the incident. The injured person is a local resident.

The eyewitness further claimed that the string involved was Chinese manja, adding that a large quantity of such hazardous kite strings has been recovered despite repeated warnings.

Non-compliance with the police’s repeated warnings

Despite multiple advisories and warnings issued by Puri Police, incidents involving manja continue to be reported, leaving residents and pilgrims in constant fear. Recently, the police launched a special enforcement drive across the city to curb the sale and use of the banned kite string. During the operation, 70 bundles of manja were seized, and shopkeepers and individuals found selling them illegally were issued strict warnings. However, irresponsible kite flying using these sharp strings persists.

Similar incidents in the past

Similar incidents have been reported in the past as well. In Cuttack’s Khan Nagar traffic area, a young man was seriously injured after coming into contact with a manja-coated kite string. In another incident in Balasore, a biker sustained a severe neck injury when a manja thread struck him while he was riding across Tamulia Bridge.