NMC, cops start drive against users, sellers of nylon manja

Nagpur: Following the death of a 23-year-old engineering graduate Pranay Thakre, whose throat was slit by a nylon manja on Tuesday near Jattarodi Chowk, Nagpur city police and nuisance detection squad (NDS) of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Wednesday launched a drive against kite flyers using nylon manja.
The Imambada police have booked an unidentified kite flyer under section 304 (A) and relevant sections of the law for Thakre’s death.
The NDS conducted a search in all the 10 zones across the city and found several youths flying kites with nylon manja.
Many voluntarily handed over nylon manja to the NDS, while many tried to resist the drive. A man near Buddh Park in Ashi Nagar zone argued with the NDS team when it seized the chakri with nylon manja from a boy.
The NDS squad led by commandant V Tambe nabbed 62 youths, especially children, using the nylon manja. The squad nabbed the highest 12 youths, especially teenagers, in areas under the Ashi Nagar zone.
“Nine cases were detected in Lakadganj zone areas while eight and seven cases were detected in Nehru Nagar and Dharampeth zones, respectively,” said deputy municipal commissioner (sanitation) and in-charge of NDS team Dr Pradip Dasarwar.
Commissioner of police Amitesh Kumar and municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B told TOI that instructions have been issued to all police stations and civic cops to seize nylon manja and prosecute those flying kites with the banned string.
Eight police stations too found 15 people using nylon manja.
Different police stations too carried out actions against sellers in their respective jurisdiction. As per information, as many as 31 cases were registered under sections 5, 15 of Environment Protection Act with different police stations.
The police have also seized around 554 nylon manja with chakri. The NDS team also seized 167 chakris of nylon manja and 2,780 plastic kites. The civic cops also recovered Rs24,000 fine from the offenders.
“Every year, the authorities issue circulars banning selling, storing or buying nylon manjas. From this year, the city police have decided to register cases against people buying the nylon manja to fly kites,” said Kumar.
Radhakrishnan said, “We have also instructed the NDS f all 10 zones to be alert and prohibitory orders have been issued against selling, storing, and flying kites with nylon manja. If there is any violation, we will file offences. Till last year, cases were filed only against the sellers. But this year, action will be taken against buyers too.”
“If anyone notices anybody using nylon manja, complaint can be lodged on 100. If the kite flyer is a minor, then action will be taken against their parents,” said the CP.
Meanwhile, a delegation of Vidarbha Taxpayers Association (VTA) led by its president Shrawankumar Malu met the CP and demanded that nylon manja be declared as corrosive substance.
Malu told the CP that despite High Court’s suo motu PIL and various warnings by the police department, there is no control on use and sale of nylon manja as it is being sold by mentioning ‘not for kite flying’ or similar slogans on the packing.
VTA secretary Tejinder Singh Renu requested police that nylon manja (thread) should be declared corrosive substance under section 37(b) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, and those found storing, selling or using should be booked and punished under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code.
“Furthermore, police need to conduct surprise checks, including random verification of thread being used by people for kite flying. Informers too should be roped in,” he said .
The youth wing of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday gheraoed the office of mayor Dayashankar Tiwari demanding action against officers concerned following the death of an engineer due to nylon manja on Tuesday.
Had the NMC department concerned been vigilant, markets would not have been flooded with the banned manja, said the party’s youth wing and added that the manja is still available because officials are hand in glove with the sellers.
Meanwhile, the CP on Wednesday evening issued an order to launch a special drive on Makar Sankranti when kite flying is at its peak. Cops will be on toes the entire day to nab sellers and flyers using nylon manja.
The CP while presiding a meeting at police gymkhana clarified that apart from registering cases, offenders will be put behind the bars, if needed.
Box
Deadly string
NDS seizes nylon manja
Zone—————— Cases
Laxmi Nagar--———— 4
Dharampeth-————- 7
Hanuman Nagar--——- 5
Dhantoli-—————-- 4
Nehru Nagar-————- 8
Gandhibagh-————- 3
Satranjipura-————- 4
Lakadganj-—————- 9
Ashi Nagar-————-- 12
Mangalwari-————-- 6
CITY POLICE ACTION
Police station -————- Action
Wadi ————————- 01
Wathoda ——————— 01
Kalamna ——————— 08
Shanti Nagar —————- 01
Tehsil ———————— 01
Ajni ————————— 01
Yashodhara —————— 01
New Kamptee ————— 01