Cops moot ban on bike rallies

Vijayawada: The city police has been seriously contemplating imposition of ban on bike rallies in the city. Denizens of the city are vexed with the bike rallies organised by the leaders of various political parties when they win elections or get ministry portfolios or nominated posts.

Vijayawada has been the political capital of the state since independence. Hence, the party leaders habituated to take out massive rallies to show their strength. Bike rallies or car rallies are some of the ways to show the leaders' strength to the party bosses.

Unfortunately, these bike rallies are taking an ugly turn as criminals and anti-social elements are gradually taking part in the rallies. A new trend has emerged in the city with the involvement of criminals who are hiring youth offering cash incentives.

After nabbing a notorious offender in the city, the city police are shocked to know the hidden fact of hiring youth offering money for bike rallies. Till now, leaders sponsor petrol to the youth for taking part in the bike rallies.

The arrest of Bala Durga Prakash, one of the notorious offenders in the city, has exposed the nexus between the political parties and the hired bike riders. He has been acting as the broker between the political parties and hired bike riders in the city.

Now, the city police are planning to ban the bike rallies, which has age-old culture in Vijayawada. Youth with two-wheeler vehicles are creating panic on the roads with rash and negligent driving. Thousands of hired bike riders have been creating sound pollution, air pollution and anarchy for many years.

Police are facing severe criticism for according permission to these organised bike rallies in the city. Commissioner of Police D Gowtham Sawang told the media on Thursday that the city police would convene a meeting with the stakeholders and discuss the banning of bike rallies in the city.

“We received many complaints from the public on road terror created during the bike rallies in the city”, he added. He further stated that these bike riders are terrorising people with rash and reckless driving. He felt it is high time it should be checked at any cost.

The Commissioner of Police said young criminals were involving in chain snatching, house breaking, cricket betting and now hiring bike riders for the rallies.

One of the biggest problems with the bike rallies is the riders may easily escape if they hit any person on the road. These riders wear head bands, remove silencers of the vehicles and do many adventurous feats on the busy roads to attract the attention of people and create panic on the roads.

If the city police impose ban on bike rallies, denizens particularly senior citizens, children and women will be delighted.

By MD Ameen