The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court directed strict enforcement of the ban on Chinese manja, warning that guardians may be held liable if minors are found using the prohibited kite string. Violations may attract negligence charges.
INDORE: The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court instructed the state government to enforce a strict prohibition on “Chinese manja”. The court cautioned that if a minor is discovered flying a kite with the banned string, their guardians could face legal responsibility.
Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi emphasized the need for widespread awareness among the public that selling or using Chinese manja could lead to consequences under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for “causing death by negligence”.
Despite the ban on Chinese manja and ongoing efforts to enforce it across various districts of Madhya Pradesh in anticipation of the Makar Sankranti festival, a tragic incident occurred on Sunday when a 45-year-old motorcyclist lost his life in Indore due to the razor-sharp kite string.
According to officials at Tilak Nagar police station in Indore, Raghubir Dhakad, a tile contractor aged 45, was riding his motorcycle home when he unexpectedly came into contact with the sharp string between Khajrana and Bengali squares, resulting in a severe throat injury. The razor-sharp string caused a nearly two inch deep cut, and Raghubir was immediately taken to the hospital, where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries.
A senior officer at the Tilak Nagar police station stated,
“We’re getting details of the entire development and appropriate action will be taken,”
The second death in Indore related to the kite string in less than three months. On November 30, a 16 year old boy riding a motorcycle also died after suffering a throat injury from the sharp string. On the same day, another victim, Narendra Jamod, a NEET aspirant, sustained severe throat cuts after coming into contact with the same string while riding on Sapna-Sangeeta Road in western Indore.
In a separate incident in Chhindwara district, a 9 years old boy named Atharv Karade required more than 40 stitches on his ear after being cut by a kite string while playing outside his home on Sunday. His condition is currently stable.
The local administration and police are taking strict measures against anyone involved in stocking, selling, or using the banned Chinese manja. In Indore, where the two fatalities were reported on November 30, 2025, and January 11, 2026, police seized Chinese manja valued at over Rs 3 lakh from various locations last week. Similar actions have also been initiated against offenders in the neighboring Ujjain district.
This action came after the bench took suo motu notice of incidents resulting in fatalities and accidents linked to the string on December 11, 2025.
In court, the state government reported that measures were already being implemented to halt the sale of Chinese manja and to introduce precautionary strategies to prevent related accidents. Additionally, they confirmed plans to launch awareness campaigns across print and electronic media to discourage the use and sale of the Chinese string.
The high court issued specific directives stating,
“They (respondents) are also directed to publish that if anybody is found selling or using the said thread, he may also be prosecuted for commission of offence under Section 106(1) of BNS, 2023 (304-A of the IPC).”
It also noted,
“It should also be noted that if any minor is found using the Chinese Nylon Thread, then his guardian may also be made responsible.”
During the hearing, Indore district magistrate Shivam Verma assured the court that administrative orders would be issued promptly in line with these directives, and communicated to neighboring districts as well. Although the administration has banned its use, kite flyers continue to utilize the sharp string to sever their competitors’ kites.