The homes of two businessmen were destroyed by the Madhya Pradesh Police after they were caught allegedly selling glass-coated kite strings, popularly called “Chinese manjha”, reported ANI on Saturday, citing the police.
The businessmen whose homes were destroyed have been identified as Mohammed Iqbal and Hitesh Bhojwani, according to reports. Iqbal’s home was demolished on January 4 and Bhojwani’s house the next day, The Wire reported.
The administation had conducted the action after the police allegedly found that the construction of parts of the homes to be illegal, according to the police.
The action comes despite there being no provisions under the Indian law to demolish the home of anyone accused of a crime. However, this practice has been regularly observed in several Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states.
The development came after a 21-year-old girl had died as her throat was slit due to the kite string, Ujjain City Superintendent of Police Vijay Meena told ANI on Saturday.
The kite string, although referred to as “Chinese manjha”, is manufactured in India. Its use, sale and manufacturing had been banned by the National Green Tribunal in 2017.
The string is made from single-fiber fishing lines that are melted and mixed with with polymers, according to The Indian Express. After the strings are formed, they are coated with glass, making it deadly for humans and animals.
On December 16, the Madhya Pradesh Police had issued a notification that an investigation will done on the use, purchase, sale or exchange of the banned string ahead of Makar Sankranti, a Hindu festival that is marked by participants flying kites.
The police had also registered 170 cases of seizure of the banned string since December 16 till Thursday.
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