Chinese manjha has been banned in the capital since 2017. (Express Archives: Oinam Anand)In the lead-up to Independence Day and Raksha Bandhan, when kite flying traditionally surges in Delhi, police have intensified efforts to stamp out the illegal sale of Chinese manjha — a dangerous, glass-coated nylon string that has been banned in the capital since 2017.However, even as the police seized over 1,100 rolls of the banned string in recent raids, the hazardous thread claimed a life on Friday.On Friday evening, 22-year-old Yash Goswami, a resident of Karawal Nagar in northeast Delhi, died after his throat was slit by a strand of Chinese manjha while riding his scooter near the Rani Jhansi flyover in North Delhi. According to police, the incident occurred close to Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, where Goswami was declared dead on arrival.“Goswami suffered a deep cut on his neck, causing him to collapse on the spot. He was rushed to the hospital by passersby,” a police officer said. A case under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which pertains to causing death by negligence, was registered against unknown persons. “The crime scene was inspected by the forensics team, and strands of Chinese manjha were recovered from the body as well as from the scooter,” an officer said.The incident came hours after raids were carried out by the Delhi Police Crime Branch in a crackdown against the sale and distribution of Chinese manjha. According to officials, the enforcement drive was launched to prevent such tragedies during the festive season.In the first operation on Thursday, officers raided a godown in Jeewan Park, Uttam Nagar, where they seized 922 rolls of the banned kite string and arrested Raju Chaurasia, 51. Chaurasia, a former shopkeeper, had allegedly turned to selling Chinese manjha both offline through local vendors and online via social media platforms like Facebook. Police said the suspect had two prior cases registered against him in 2022 for similar violations.The police said Chaurasia was lured back into the illegal trade by the high profit margins. He has been booked under Section 223B of BNS — for disobedience to a public servant’s order — and Sections 5 and 15 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.Story continues below this adThe next day, in a separate raid, police apprehended 22-year-old Areeb Khan near Ramleela Ground in Kamla Market. Khan, a former clothing shop worker from Lal Kaun in Daryaganj, was found transporting 248 rolls of Chinese manjha in four large cartons. During questioning, he allegedly admitted to joining the trade due to its lucrative returns.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Delhi Police