Despite being widely known as Chinese manja, the infamous kite thread that has killed and maimed scores of people is, in reality, manufactured right here in India. Cotton manja wholesalers told mid-day that most glass-coated nylon kite thread is produced in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

An officer from the Gujarat police to mid-day, “Significant manufacturing and supply operations take place in Nashik, Nagpur, Surat and Ahmedabad as well as Punjab in the lead up to Makar Sankranti.”