Many injured by Chinese Manjha on Makar Sankranti in MP:Bikers’ throats slit in Indore, Ujjain; High Court to hear issue on Jan 16

Multiple injuries linked to the banned glass-coated Chinese manjha were reported across the state as kite flying peaked on Makar Sankranti. At least eight people were seriously injured, with Indore and Ujjain emerging as the worst-affected cities. Victims suffered deep cuts to the throat, face, legs, and ears, and in several cases, blood was seen spilling onto the roads. Alarmingly, Indore alone has recorded 13 such accidents over the past one and a half months, including two fatalities, while another victim remains in critical condition at a hospital. High Court takes a tough stand Taking serious note of the repeated deaths despite a complete ban on Chinese Manjha, the Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, during a hearing on January 12, 2026, termed the incidents ‘unfortunate’ and said strict action was necessary to prevent further loss of life. The High Court has: The next hearing is scheduled for Friday, January 16. Eight incidents in a single week Here is a snapshot of recent Chinese manjha-related accidents: First, know how many people in Indore were affected by Chinese manjha…? 1. Petrol pump worker critically injured On January 14, Hemraj Ravindra Chaurasia, a petrol pump employee, was riding to a relative’s home when Chinese manjha slashed his throat near Teen Imli Bridge. He remains under intensive medical observation, with doctors restricting speech and food intake. 2. Elderly man caught in Chinese kite string, injured on throat
Mahesh Soni, a resident of Nandanagar, sustained a serious neck injury and was hospitalized. 3. Chinese string suddenly appeared in front of the bike
Prem Bhandari, riding across Juni Indore Bridge, suffered a deep cut near the throat and required eight stitches. 4. Face injured by Chinese string, 10 stitches received
Madhav Vasunia suffered severe facial injuries while going to buy kites; his beard was completely slashed. 3 accidents also occurred in Indore on January 11 1. Tiles Contractor Dies Tile contractor Raghubeer Dhakad died after his throat was slit near Khajrana Bridge. 2. Student’s throat cut on Sapna-Sangeeta Road
NEET aspirant Narendra Jamod suffered serious neck injuries on Sapna–Sangeeta Road. 3. Throat cut in front of the airport, taken to hospital Ashish Raghuvanshi was injured near the Aerodrome police station area. 43 stitches had to be put in a child’s ear in Chhindwara In Chhindwara, a 9-year-old boy, Atharva Karade, suffered a deep cut to his ear while playing outside his home. Doctors had to administer 43 stitches, and the child remains under medical supervision. Past year shows a grim pattern Previous fatal and serious incidents include: 2 accidents also occurred in Ujjain, a young man and a woman were injured Ujjain witnessed four incidents on January 14 alone. Among them: According to ENT surgeon Dr. Vishram Ratnakar at Charak Bhavan Government Hospital, over six such cases have been reported in the past month, involving injuries to the throat, nose, and ears—raising serious concern. Police crackdown intensifies According to Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma, more than 20 accused have been arrested in the past month, including kite string sellers and online distributors in Indore and Ujjain. Preventive measures include: Court calls repeated incidents ‘unacceptable’ During the hearing, amicus curiae senior advocates Vivek Sharan and Akash Sharma recommended seeking district-wise action plans ahead of Makar Sankranti. The High Court accepted the suggestion and summoned reports from all concerned districts. The court reiterated that continued violations despite a ban are unacceptable, and strict enforcement alone can prevent further tragedies.