Police look the other way as 'Blacklists', 'Outlaws' rule the roost on the use of road

Speedsters wreak havoc at Chandmari

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, FEB 17: Bike stunts by motorcycle riders wreak havoc in Guwahati, especially in its Chandmari area, that too, over the flyover there.

Such stunts by six to seven riders are seen, as often as not, over the flyover in the evening, risking the lives of pedestrians, commuters and of themselves. While some of the bikers are allegedly students of the nearby colleges, some are from the nearby areas. While making such stunts, they often lay siege the entire stretch of the road from Zoo Tili to Chandmari for nearly two hours.

Pedestrians like senior citizens like to amble on this road over the flyover, but such bike stunts are a hurdle for them. Reckless racing by the youths often leads to accidents, including some fatal ones. Such bikers are a threat to other vehicles plying on the road as well.

Deepak Sarma, a street vendor doing business near Gauhati Commerce College, said: “Some youths opt for dangerous stunts here every day from around 6 pm- 7:30 pm.”

Another shopkeeper near J.B. Law College, Arun Das, told The Sentinel, “We are fed up of these arrogant kids. They are harming themselves, besides posing a threat to others. They are even accompanied by girls, at times. Though we have lodged complaints against them, no action is taken to stop such stunts.”

Kamala Kanta Deka, a vendor, said, “It’s risky. We’re afraid of crossing the road. The police haven’t taken any action against them.”

According to a person of the locality, the gangs of teegers comprise college-going students. “They have formed some groups med ‘Blacklists’, ‘Outlaws’, ‘Most Wanted’ etc.,” the person said. The speedsters perform stunts, do wheelies and stoppies and let the engines of their bikes make a deafening  noise, much to the annoyance of the locals and commuters.

“Pedestrians are apprehensive of walking on the road in the evening hours, and the administration has been indifferent to the woos  of the public,” said Dinesh Gogoi, another resident of the area.

The Chandmari Police station is barely 500 metres away from the area. The local people rue the fact that the police opt to look the other way when all these take place right under their nose.