Chinese ‘Manja’ Continues to Claim Lives in Jammu Despite Ban

SRINAGAR: Rajinder Kumar, 25, became the latest casualty of the banned Chinese kite string, locally known as Gattu, when it slit his throat as he rode his motorcycle near Ghari village in Udhampur district on Saturday afternoon. Police said Kumar, a resident of Seen Brahmana village, was heading towards Rehambal from Udhampur when the sharp synthetic thread, coated with glass particles, wrapped around his neck at around 4.30 pm. Commuters rushed him to the Government Medical College Hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The nylon-coated thread, also referred to as “Chinese Manja”, has been banned under Section 144 of the Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Procedure Code, but continues to be used across the region, causing multiple deaths and injuries every year. Just last month, the dangerous string claimed the life of 37-year-old Sahil Kumar on the Jammu–Akhnoor flyover and injured at least two others in separate incidents at Muthi and Bishnah in Jammu district.

In the Muthi case, Satish Kumar from Gandhi Nagar sustained deep cuts on his face when a stray Gattu strand struck him while riding his motorcycle. At Bishnah, Tarsem Lal, a factory worker, required 15 stitches to his neck after the thread knocked him off his bike near Palli village. In both cases, families of the injured demanded strict enforcement of the ban.

The fatal incident involving Sahil Kumar on August 26 had already sparked outrage, with civil society members accusing authorities of failing to enforce prohibitions on the manufacture, sale, and use of the killer string. Police had said Sahil was riding with his wife when the nylon thread dangling across the flyover fatally cut into his throat. His wife, who was riding pillion, escaped injury.

Despite repeated crackdowns, the illegal trade flourishes. In August 2021, Jammu Police seized over 1,080 rolls of Chinese synthetic thread in a series of raids in Domana and Talab Tillo, arresting two accused, including a shopkeeper and a wholesale dealer. Authorities had vowed then to wipe out the trade.

Yet, enforcement remains patchy. The deadly string continues to be sold and used, often smuggled under different names during the festive kite-flying season. Police have again urged the public to report any instances of sale or use, warning that violators will face strict legal action.

Rajinder Kumar’s death has reignited calls for a zero-tolerance crackdown on Gattu and its suppliers. “How many more people must die before this menace is stamped out?” asked one grieving resident in Udhampur.