Youth high on speed thrill

Visakhapatnam: Yong boys and girls continue to race with high-end motorcycles risking not only their lives, but also others. Students of corporate colleges and IT employees are taking this dangerous sport frightening people in the middle of the night.

People hear the high pick up sounds and jolt out of their beds in the middle of the night cursing these youth.

Last year, the police surprised them by seizing over 30 vehicles and let them off after talking to their parents. Finding no end to the racing, the police swooped down on the bikers on Friday night and continued to seize till early hours of the day.

They caught them at Beach Road, Peda Waltarit RTC depot junction and BRTS Road which remains calm in the early hours. “In all, we seized 35 motorcycles of high pick up, but let the youth go home.

We will summon their parents on Monday and after counselling in the presence of the media, we will hand over the vehicles,” said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) K Mahendra Patrudu.

He told this correspondent here on Saturday that they counted 300 motorcycles registered in the local RTA office and many more might have come from other states or cities. The traffic police are also profiling these bikers.

The ADCP said fortunately there was no loss of life so far except some youth sustaining injuries caused for not using the helmet. Asked what measures the police would take if the youth continue with the racing even after counselling of their parents, Patrudu said they would impose a fine of Rs 1,000 for dangerous driving, Rs 1,500 for not possessing driving licence and Rs 500 each for not having insurance, pollution certificate and for not using helmet.

“We hope these fines would deter from racing,” the ADCP said and added that they were not racing for money, but for thrill and attracting girls. Sources in the police said not only boys, but also girls are indulging in illegal and dangerous bike, or car racing on the Beach Road, IT SEZ Hills near Rushikonda and BRTS Road to Simhachalam.

They said lack of CCTV cameras are encouraging the youth to take this dangerous driving.