In Hyderabad, a tragic incident unfolded as an army jawan, identified as K Koteswar Reddy, met with a fatal accident on his way back from duty on a motorcycle. The cause of this unfortunate demise was attributed to the entanglement of a prohibited Chinese manja, a kite string known for its strength and abrasiveness, around his neck.
According to the authorities, the soldier lost control of his motorcycle near the Langar House area, where he had been residing. Hailing from Visakhapatnam in the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh, K Koteswar Reddy succumbed to the perilous situation arising from the Chinese manja wrapping around his neck. The police, in their statement on Sunday, confirmed that a case has been formally registered in connection with this distressing incident.
Following the fatality, the deceased soldier's body underwent postmortem procedures at Osmania Hospital. Subsequently, the authorities handed over the remains to the army officials. This incident has underscored the lethal consequences associated with the use of Chinese manja, a banned kite string, and has prompted heightened concerns about the need for stringent measures against its usage.
For context, the Chinese manja is a distinctive type of kite string known for its robustness, composed of cotton thread coated with a blend of rice glue, tree gums, and finely powdered glass or similar abrasive materials. This specialized coating enables the string to easily sever other kite strings during competitive kite-flying events. However, due to the inherent dangers it poses, the use of Chinese manja has been prohibited in India.
This tragic episode involving the untimely death of an army jawan serves as a stark reminder of the hazards associated with banned substances, urging a renewed emphasis on enforcing and raising awareness about the prohibition of Chinese manja to prevent further incidents of this nature.