38 bikes including high-end ones seized, racers booked in Visakhapatnam

City police crack down on dangerous bikers, seizing high-end bikes and enforcing strict penalties under new Motor Vehicle Act.

The city police have started cracking the whip of the errant bikers who have been creating inconvenience to the motorists and pedestrians with their rash driving for the past few weeks.

In a special drive, the traffic police from Zone I have managed to catch 38 youths who were involved in such dangerous driving. The police teams have seized 38 two-wheelers from them. Among those bikes include a number of high-end ones and sports bikes, which cost between ₹2 lakh and ₹3 lakh, as per the police.

Addressing a press conference at the III Town police station, Additional DCP (Traffic) K. Praveen Kumar said that special teams were constituted to catch bike racers under III Town, Dwaraka, and North sub-division limits. In the raids, as many as 38 persons were caught. He said that the accused would be produced in the court.

The ADCP also said that dangerous driving, causing risk to other motorists or pedestrians, not wearing helmet, not having a number plate, not having driving licence, using modified silencers will result in stringent actions as per the law under the new rules of Motor Vehicle Act. They may include hefty fines, suspension of driving licences as well as jail term ranging from three to six months jail.

The traffic police personnel have also appealed to the public not to give their motorcycles or cars to their children if they are minors or do not have a driving licence. They also urged them to monitor the bike-driving style of their children and ensure they follow road safety rules.

In general, the Beach Road stretch between Naval Coastal Battery to Bheemunipatnam and BRTS Road between Hanumanthawaka to Adavivaram is a hotspot for the bikers for racing. Earlier, the bike racing gangs used to maintain special WhatsApp groups to coordinate and organise racing for fun.