Mir Tanveer
Last month, 18-year-old Danish* who hailed from Srinagar’s Hyderpora gelled up his hair, wore a good perfume and left his home with a friend on his bike. Upon being questioned, he told his mother that he will return soon. Danish reached the Boulevard road of Srinagar which is busy with tourist activity throughout the year. Danish was being accompanied by several bikes and they all were overtaking each other at a very high speed. eventually two of the bikes collided at a very high speed and Danish lost his life after at the hospital after having receiving injuries all over his body.
Not just the Boulevard, Srinagar city and its outskirts are witnessing a dangerous trend of over-speeding, stunt-biking, drifting, zigzag, and drag races on city roads, endangering the lives of young boys and girls and commuters as well.
The Kashmiriyat received several complaints of stunt biking from the roads at Hazratbal, Foreshore, Boulevard, Parraypora area, Nishat stating that it continues to pose life threat to people.
Besides this these stunt bikers are doing stunts on the roads to some leading tourist destination like Magam- Gulmarg road passing through Budgam and Baramulla districts.
“The parents of such youngsters must be very irresponsible who allow their wards to do such dangerous stunts. Some of them are even minors who are risking the lives of people on roads,” one of the social media users wrote.
These bikers are the young age teenagers who risk their lives by doing all these disastrous actions on city roads. To avoid being caught by Police, these bikers hide their registration number plates. Meanwhile, their “motovlogs” (videos on social media accounts) receive thousands of hits, however, many citizens expressed their dismay over the unchecked stunt biking.
Senior Kashmiri Journalist, Yusuf Jameel has expressed his concern over stunt biking several times. Taking to his twitter, Yusuf Jameel said, “Before indulging in such stunts and the like, think of your Mom who carried you in her womb for nine months and watched you grow. And know sweet little man, you are her pride and joy. That of your Dad too.”
Seeking the attention of Jammu Kashmir Police over the issue, he wrote, “In most cases, these boys just don’t listen to their parents or do these stunts without their knowledge. So we have to use persuasion strategies to take them away from this danger.”
Srinagar police officials have said that they are creating a list of stunt bikers and a strict punishment will be given to the offenders who are involved in these activities.
During interaction regarding this matter SSP Traffic Srinagar city Muzaffar Shah said that the traffic officials have taken a strong action against such cases and the department is always on hunt against these offenders who risk their lives in the deadly actions on roads.
“We always create check points in Srinagar city and it’s outskirts areas to minimise these disastrous stunts carried away by these stunt Bikers,” he said.
He said that it police cannot single handedly control these things as parents also need to focus on their children’s’ activities in their day to day routine. Parents need to go for active and accountability role over their young age teenagers so that they cannot land themselves and their families in trouble, the SSP said.
Regional Transport Officer Srinagar upon being contacted said that the office has also taken strict action against all these violators of law by cancellation of their registration certificates.
“In the future too, all license and registration certificates issued on the names of those who perform stunt biking as per the Police will be cancelled. We have already sought the details from the police officials,” Shahanaz Bukhari said.
He said that no one will be spared as was done in the earlier case of Dalgate area in Srinagar city where a quick response team cancelled the registration certificate of the involved persons.
Locals seek action
The problem with stunt biking is not confined to risking human lives, it has problem far worse than what may meet the eye. Teenagers who mostly engage in stunt biking are, as per various researches, influenced by movies and advertisements that show the opposite gender finding stunt biking cool and impressive.
A female student who studies at a coaching centre in Parraypora Srinagar and wished to remain anonymous said that these bikers have made their movements tough particularly during morning and evening hours. “We always fear to travel in such conditions as these bikers travel at very high speed with ziz zag movements and bring their bikes very close to women who walk on roads. They pass vague comments and follow us for days together,” said the class 12th student.
She expressed hope that the authorities will curb this rising trend.
Locals from Srinagar that these stunt Bikers have made traveling tough for both pedestrians as well as vehicles on city roads. “Doing all these stunts on public roads are not only risky to these individual lives, but they pose threat to public lives too in collectivity,” said a senior resident.
He said that there is a need to put strict action and fine all these violators of law.
It is the collective responsibility role all stakeholders of the society to build up their efforts in ending this menace so that such insanity does not continue on the streets of Kashmir, said Rashid, an old citizen of Srinagar’s down town.
He said that the young generation needs to be properly counselled and guided to the right path of driving by conducting programs at different places across districts.