New Delhi, 28 June

Delhi Police has arrested two men and seized more than 1,100 rolls of banned Chinese manjha, a nylon-based string used for kite-flying, from their possession in separate cases, an official said on Saturday.

Chinese manjha is considered dangerous for humans and animals as it is made of glass and plastic.

The accused - Raju Chaurasia, 51 and Areeb Khan, 22, were arrested in two separate operations in Kamla Market and Uttam Nagar, he said.

In the first operation on 26 June, police raided a shop-cum-godown in Uttam Nagar, and apprehended Chaurasia, recovering 922 rolls of Chinese manjha found stored at his premises on Som Bazar Road, which he operated under the guise of a regular business, a senior police officer said.

During interrogation he confessed to selling the banned string both online and offline. He told police that he used to sell it to local shopkeepers and through social media platforms to maximise profits, the officer said.

He had previously been booked under similar charges in 2022, police said.

In another case, police apprehended Khan from Kamla market area near Ramlila ground on 27 June. He was caught with four large cartons containing 248 rolls of the banned manjha, according to the officer.

Khan from Daryaganj had previously worked at a clothing shop and turned to the illegal manjha trade after being lured by its high profit margins.

Both the cases have been registered against the two accused under Section 223(B) (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986.