PRAYAGRAJ, March 14 -- Despite a three-day police campaign against the banned and life-threatening Chinese 'manjha' from February 10 to 12 this year, not a single offender was arrested in Prayagraj. No shop selling the prohibited string was identified or penalised, and no kite flyer was booked, giving the impression that everything was under control. In reality, the glass-coated synthetic string continues to injure unsuspecting two-wheeler riders and has claimed nearly a dozen lives in the district over the past decade. In the recent incident reported on March 12 (Thursday), Rambabu, a resident of Kaushambi district, suffered serious injuries while crossing the High Court flyover when the sharp thread slit his chin, causing a deep cut and throwing him off his motorcycle. Cantonment Police rushed him to a private hospital in Rajapur, where he is reported to be stable. Among the earlier victims was a woman government employee whose throat was slit while she was riding her scooty on the Khusrubagh flyover a few years ago-a grim reminder of the dangers posed by the razor-sharp string. This month itself witnessed two commuters suffering critical injuries from the deadly, razor-sharp string. Several recent incidents underline how widespread the threat remains. In June 2021, 38-year-old Tirath Nath, a resident of Patrika Marg under Civil Lines police station, died after a Chinese manjha strand wrapped around the necks of both him and his wife as they crossed the Kydganj side of the New Yamuna Bridge on their motorcycle. Tirath suffered a deep cut to his throat and succumbed to injuries during treatment at a private hospital. A similar tragedy occurred on February 2, 2024, when 10-year-old Sachin Yadav was fatally wounded while riding pillion with his cousin under Sarai Inayat police station. A severed kite string drifted onto the road and tightened around his neck, rupturing a major blood vessel. Though bystanders rushed him to a hospital, doctors declared him dead on arrival. In yet another incident this year, on March 3, Bharat Pratap of Transport Nagar suffered a neck injury near the Hanuman Temple in Civil Lines after being struck by Chinese manjha. He is undergoing treatment at SRN Hospital. Over two dozen residents in the Sangam city area have fallen victim to these unchecked manjha strings. Nearly three dozen kite-flying clubs operate around the Sangam and Parade Ground areas, and roughly a hundred shops across the district are believed to be selling the banned string because of its higher profit margin. A 30-metre spool of regular string costs around Rs 25, while the same length of Chinese manjha fetches nearly Rs 70, ensuring a steady demand and continued illegal supply. DCP (city) Manish Shandilya said all police stations had been instructed to keep strict vigil on the sale and use of the banned string, but claimed no such case had been formally reported from any part of the city. He admitted that distinguishing between regular thread and Chinese manjha is difficult for nonxperts, which complicates enforcement. The police, he said, are continuing inspections of kite shops to identify offenders. The issue has drawn attention at the highest levels. Recently, chief minister Yogi Adityanath termed any death caused by Chinese manjha as "no less than murder" and ordered a statewide crackdown....