Lucknow: Following the death of M.R. Mohammad Shoaib caused by the banned Chinese manja, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath adopted a strict stance, prompting swift action by the Lucknow Police Commissionerate. Acting on the Chief Minister’s instructions, senior police officials on Thursday launched a citywide crackdown against the storage, sale and use of the prohibited kite string.
Under the directions of Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Babloo Kumar, teams were formed across all five police zones to conduct raids at kite shops in Old Lucknow and other parts of the city. DCP West Vishwajeet Srivastava and ADCP West Dhananjay Kushwaha, along with local police, carried out inspections near Puttan Khan Karbala and several other markets. Similar searches were conducted in areas including Chowk, Akbari Gate, Thakurganj, Hussainabad, Wazirbagh, Hussainganj, Babuganj, Madehganj, Khadra and Kakori, as well as in Chinhat, Kamta and Matiyari.
Despite extensive searches that continued till evening, no Chinese manja was recovered from any shop. Police believe that following Wednesday’s fatal incident, traders removed the banned string from their premises before the raids began. Officials noted that injuries caused by Chinese manja were reported even on Thursday, indicating its continued presence in the market.
Meanwhile, the cyber crime cell has been alerted to monitor online platforms, as reports suggest the banned manja is being sold digitally. Police have warned that anyone found storing, selling or using Chinese manja will face strict legal action, including arrest.
