Delhi Police arrest two, seize 37 reels of banned Chinese Manjha in Dayalpur
Synopsis
A routine patrol in northeast Delhi's Dayalpur area snowballed into a two-arrest operation that netted 37 reels of banned Chinese Manjha and exposed a supply chain stretching from Ghaziabad to Murad Nagar. With the kite-flying season approaching, police are now hunting the alleged supplier, Tannu Garg.
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police arrested two men — Mohd.
Rihan, 23 , and Deepak, 28 — during a crackdown in Dayalpur, northeast Delhi on 1 August 2026 .
A total of 37 reels of banned Chinese Manjha were seized — 6 from Rihan and 31 from Deepak .
363/2026 was registered at Dayalpur Police Station under BNS Section 223(a) and the Environment (Protection) Act.
Deepak allegedly named Tannu Garg of Murad Nagar, UP as the supplier; a manhunt is underway.
Chinese Manjha is banned due to fatal injuries it causes to pedestrians, motorcyclists, and birds each kite-flying season.
Delhi Police arrested two men and seized 37 reels of banned Chinese Manjha during a coordinated crackdown in the Dayalpur area of northeast Delhi on the night of 1 August 2026, police said. The operation, which began around 11:30 pm, targeted the illegal sale of synthetic kite string that authorities say poses a serious risk to public safety.
How the Operation Unfolded
The action was initiated by Head Constable Karan Pal and Constable Rajan during routine patrol, when they reached Shop No. D-1/102 on Main 25 Foota Road in Nehru Vihar. There, they allegedly found a man selling prohibited Chinese Manjha. The accused was identified as Mohd. Rihan, 23, a resident of Ashok Vihar, Loni. A search of the premises yielded six reels of banned string — five Hero Plus reels and one Mono Kite reel — which were seized on the spot.
Police subsequently registered FIR No. 363/2026 at Dayalpur Police Station under Section 223(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 5 and 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act. Rihan, according to police, has no prior criminal record.
Trail Leads to Second Accused
During interrogation, Rihan allegedly disclosed the source from which he had procured the prohibited string. Acting on that information, investigators traced and arrested Deepak, 28, a resident of Indra Market, Loni, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. A search of Deepak's shop resulted in the recovery of 31 additional reels of banned Chinese Manjha. Like Rihan, Deepak also has no prior criminal record, police said.
Supplier Being Traced
During questioning, Deepak allegedly named a supplier identified as Tannu Garg, a resident of Murad Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, as the source of the prohibited kite string. Police said efforts are underway to trace and apprehend Garg.
Why Chinese Manjha Is Banned
Chinese Manjha is a synthetic kite string coated with glass or other abrasive materials. It has been banned owing to the severe danger it poses to pedestrians, motorcyclists, birds, and overhead power lines. Every year, particularly during the kite-flying season, several people suffer grave injuries or lose their lives after coming into contact with the razor-sharp string. This crackdown comes amid heightened enforcement ahead of the kite-flying season, when incidents involving Chinese Manjha historically spike.
Point of View
Low-volume sellers precisely because margins are high and penalties, until recently, were modest. The trail from a Nehru Vihar pavement shop to a Ghaziabad stockist to a Murad Nagar supplier in a single night's investigation suggests the network is neither sophisticated nor deeply hidden — which raises a harder question: why does it reconstitute itself every season despite years of bans? Without upstream disruption at the import or manufacturing stage, seasonal crackdowns will keep producing the same arrests and the same headline numbers.
NationPress
3 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Chinese Manjha and why is it banned in Delhi?
Chinese Manjha is a synthetic kite string coated with glass or abrasive materials that can cut through skin, clothing, and even power lines. It is banned in Delhi and several other states because it has caused fatal and serious injuries to pedestrians, motorcyclists, and birds, particularly during the kite-flying season.
Who was arrested in the Dayalpur Chinese Manjha crackdown?
Delhi Police arrested Mohd. Rihan, 23 , of Ashok Vihar, Loni, and Deepak, 28 , of Indra Market, Loni, Ghaziabad. Both were found in possession of banned Chinese Manjha reels and have no prior criminal record, according to police.
How many reels of banned Manjha were seized in the operation?
A total of 37 reels of banned Chinese Manjha were recovered — 6 from Mohd. Rihan's shop in Nehru Vihar and 31 from Deepak's shop in Loni, Ghaziabad.
What charges have been filed in the case?
Police registered FIR No. 363/2026 at Dayalpur Police Station under Section 223(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 5 and 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act.
Who is the alleged supplier and has he been arrested?
The alleged supplier has been identified as Tannu Garg, a resident of Murad Nagar in Uttar Pradesh. He has not yet been arrested; police said efforts are underway to trace and apprehend him.
