HC asks authorities to curb menace of bike-racing

Expressing displeasure over police failure in curtailing illegal bike-racing, the Madras High Court today advised authorities to take steps to curb such races in the city, which very often ended fatally.
"This court expects the state government to bring out remedial measures to curb the practice of bike racing most prevalent in Chennai," Justice S Vaidyanathan said.
The judge directed the Registry to mark a copy of the order to the City Police Commissioner, "who shall give suitable instructions to all police stations, to control bike racing".
Justice Vaidyanathan declined anticipatory bail to a videographer Ajith who was injured while shooting a bike race on February 28 in the city in which a participant died.

The participant, who drove in a rash and negligent manner, had knocked down Ajith. Both sustained serious injuries. While Ajith survived, the participant died.
The court asked the government to take action against the mechanics too, who are responsible for creating noise pollution by making adjustments in the bike silencers.

An eyewitness to the incident, a friend of the deceased, lodged a complaint with police, who registered a case under IPC sections including 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), following which Ajith sought anticipatory bail, apprehending arrest.
Justice S Vaidyanathan, who concurred with the submission of the Public Prosecutor that the investigation was in initial stage, declined to grant the relief.

The judge, who expressed displeasure over the failure of the police in curtailing illegal bike-races, which are conducted on the city roads, said it makes him to presume that some of the police personnel are hand-in glove with bike racers.
"If working CCTV cameras are installed in places where bike races are conducted, it will certainly help prosecution to bring the culprits to book, apart from preventing accidents to innocent pedestrians and passers-by, who sustain fatal injuries due to over speeding of bike racers."
"Moreover, people in the area, where bike races are conducted are always subjected to fear of over speeding of bike racers and the noise created by them, due to which, they are unable to move around peacefully. Therefore, public should also support the police to curb the practice of bike racing," the judge said and expressed the hope that government will take appropriate action.