SHUTTING DOWN STUNTS

Bengaluru is going all out to thwart bikers from racing and performing wheelies on public roads

- PRATHIMA NANDAKUMAR

In 2016, Shiny Kiran, 18, a pre-university student, was headed to a pub with her friend, Keertan Richie, 18, a student of fashion technology. Shiny fell off the bike when Richie performed a wheelie to show off. A minivan that was right behind them ran over Shiny, killing her. Richie, who was driving a friend’s bike and had no driving license, fled. He was later charged with culpable homicide by the Indiranagar Police.

Despite such incidents, little has changed for adrenalin junkies in Bengaluru, who fancy drag racing and perform bike stunts on public roads, risking their lives and endangering the lives of others.

In June 2020—Mohammed Aadi Ayaan, 16, Maaj Ahmad Khan, 17, and Syed Riyaz, 22—from Govindapura died while performing bike stunts on Airport Road. In January 2021—Syed Idayat, 20, and Arbaz, 22—from Yeshwanthpur died while performing wheelies. They crashed into a crane on Doddaballapur-Yelahanka Road.

With the number of vehicles in Bengaluru touching 83.5 lakh (57 lakh two-wheelers) traffic violations are becoming a menace. The city reported 2.16 crore traffic violations in the last three years including overspeeding and racing. The Bangalore Police are cracking down on stunts and racing on public roads. Alarmingly, most errant riders are underage. Over the last three years, the Bengaluru Police has registered 73 cases of free-wheeling. Often, the police need evidence (like a video clip) to book offenders. Many were tracked after the police found video footages of stunts posted on social media.