KSPCA seeks State-wide crackdown on sale, use of banned Chinese manja

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The letter comes in the wake of the recent death of Vidya Manjunath Gowdar in Hubballi, who suffered fatal injuries after a manja string got entangled around her neck while she was travelling on a scooter. | Photo Credit: File Photo

The Karnataka State Police Complaints Authority has written to the Director-General and Inspector-General of Police (DG&IGP), Karnataka Police, urging strict action against the illegal sale, storage and use of banned Chinese manja (synthetic kite strings) across the State.

The letter comes in the wake of the recent death of Vidya Manjunath Gowdar in Hubballi, who suffered fatal injuries after a manja string got entangled around her neck while she was travelling on a scooter.

Emphasising the need to prevent further fatalities and injuries, KSPCA member Mohan Kumar Danappa has urged the DGP to direct all police units across Karnataka to launch special enforcement drives.

He has called for raids on kite shops, toy shops and warehouses across the State to identify and seize banned manja stocks. He has also sought action against traders illegally selling Chinese and synthetic manja, online platforms facilitating their sale, and stockists and individuals using the prohibited strings. He has urged the police to register cases under the relevant laws and initiate stringent legal action against those violating the ban.

The KSPCA has also called for a State-wide public awareness campaign through social media, newspapers, television channels and radio to educate people about the dangers of synthetic manja and the legal consequences of its sale and use. The letter has requested the DGP to issue appropriate instructions to all police unit heads to ensure strict enforcement of the ban across the State.

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