Bikers at rallies flout rules, make Steel City roads unsafe

Jamshedpur: Young bikers performed stunts on many roads, including the Sakchi-Sonari Main Road on which the offices and residence of the deputy commissioner (DC) and the senior superintendent of police (SSP) are located, from Tuesday afternoon till late evening.
The bikers, numbering not less than 100, criss-crossed the Steel City without wearing helmets. Most of the bikes with modified exhaust pipes had three pillion riders and carried no registration number plates. All these offences are punishable under the motor vehicle rules.
Sushmita Bhowmick, a teacher of a private school, said she had to return half way from her coaching classes, fearing that she might meet with an accident due to the unruly bikers. Many other teachers at the institute acted in the same manner. There was no police posting on the Sonari-Sakchi link road, she alleged.
Retired banker Pritam Bose said such hooliganism on roads during rallies or festivals is a common affair here. He urged the police to take necessary action to curb such incidents.
Most of the bikers wore saffron turbans or scarfs claiming that they were participating in rallies organised to celebrate the Hindu Nav Varsh. Few of them, in the age group of 16 to 30 years, were armed with swords. The processions originated in various parts of the city before culminating at Sakchi-based Netaji Subash Maidan.
Speaking to TOI, Dhalbhum sub-divisional officer (SDO) Piyush Sinha said, “Action would be taken against the violators of law.” Sinha, accompanied by SP (City) Vijay Shankar, was at the Netaji Subash Maidan.
Deputy superintendent of police (Traffic) Kamal Kishore said around 10 bikes returning home from rallies have been impounded from different areas on allegations of stunt biking.
During the 2022 Durga Puja, over 350 bikes had been impounded by the police.
Meanwhile, Rambabu Tiwary, a senior member of an organisations that conducted the rally, expressed anguish over Tuesday’s incidents and hoped that such incidents are not repeated in future.