Nagpur: Taking an uncompromising stand on the menace of nylon manja, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Thursday made it clear that human lives cannot be traded for convenience or excuses, observing that the lethal kite string injures scores of citizens every year and has even claimed innocent lives.
The division bench of Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Raj Wakode said the court is “extremely serious” about the issue, stressing that those who sell or use nylon manja deserve strict and deterrent punishment. The court underlined that preventable deaths and grievous injuries caused by nylon manja cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.
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09 Jan 2026
The remarks came while hearing objections raised by a city resident, Mohammed Altaf Ahmed Khan, against the proposed penalties. Khan suggested that sellers of nylon manja should be penalised based on their financial capacity, with heavier fines for large traders and lighter punishment for small vendors. He also argued that parents should not be held accountable if minors are found flying kites with nylon manja, claiming it is impossible for parents to keep constant watch over children.
The High Court firmly rejected these submissions, questioning whether offenders should simply be let off despite the known dangers. “If timely and strict action is not taken, who will take responsibility for the deaths and injuries?” the Bench asked, while terming the objections baseless, meaningless and lacking seriousness.
The court made it clear that leniency would only embolden offenders, and warned that the judiciary cannot shut its eyes to repeated tragedies occurring every kite-flying season. The objections were dismissed outright, with the Bench sharply criticising the attempt to dilute accountability.
However, the court granted one final opportunity to place genuine, constructive and meaningful objections, and scheduled the next hearing for January 12. It orally observed that citizens approaching the court must assist in protecting lives, not undermine the seriousness of the issue.
Proposed penalties under consideration
In its December 24, 2025 order, the High Court had proposed stringent penalties to curb the deadly practice:
• Rs 50,000 fine on parents if a minor is caught flying kites with nylon manja
• Rs 50,000 fine on adult offenders
• Rs 2.5 lakh fine on nylon manja sellers
District Collectors across Vidarbha have been directed to issue public notices inviting objections to these proposed penalties.
Court’s key observations
• Kite flying occurs during a specific and identifiable season, making parental supervision feasible.
• No differential treatment can be given to offenders — all are equal before the law, irrespective of status or financial background.
• The court cannot ignore the ongoing kite-flying season, as the safety of citizens is at stake.
• The proposed penalties are suggestions and not final, but will remain effective throughout the year once finalised.
Sending a strong message, the High Court reiterated that every life lost to nylon manja is an avoidable tragedy, and warned that excuses, sympathy pleas or half-hearted objections will not be allowed to weaken the fight against this deadly hazard.
