By Girish Linganna

ONE NIGHT, ON A QUIET ROAD IN BENGALURU, Charan Singh’s car was attacked by a group of reckless motorcyclists involved in a dangerous high-speed chase. As the bikers got dangerously close, one of them suddenly cut in front of Singh’s car and dropped their bike, trying to cause a crash. With his three female passengers screaming, Singh had no choice but to drive over the bike, barely avoiding the riders.

Unfortunately, bold acts of road intimidation or harassments have become very common for drivers on Bengaluru’s streets, especially at night.

The increase in bold biker gangs targeting cars and their drivers for extortion has become a major worry for people living in India’s Silicon Valley. Recently, social media has been filled with reports of these frightening incidents, highlighting the severity of the issue, according to the international media outlet, the South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Singh, a human resources professional, said his car had out-of-state plates and that it seemed to be an extortion attempt by an organized gang. He added that, initially, two persons blocked his car, but more joined, and soon, it turned into a chase.

Later, Singh reported the incident to a nearby police station and three people involved were arrested soon. According to Singh, the suspects claimed they had powerful political connections as reported by SCMP. He also said that some other neighbours had had similar experiences and had heard about such unpleasant events from friends and colleagues.

Marketing professional Deepak Jain also faced an extortion attempt while driving in Bengaluru earlier this month, according to a report by South First. Jain said he kept hearing about extortion cases in the city. So, when he was forced to stop and saw the attacker pick up a coconut shell, he had a feeling that it was a road rage incident. He saw another car trying to block his way nearly 200-300 metres ahead while he tried to flee the place.

He said that, the next day, while leaving the police station, he was followed and a video of him and his car was recorded. The incidents happening so close to each other seemed too coincidental, leading him to believe they were more than just random aggression. The incident has left Jain shaken and made him more alert to potential threats from such gangs while driving.

Both Jain and Singh were able to support their cases with dashcam footage from their vehicles. Bengaluru, with a population of 14 million, has seen its infrastructure worsen over the years. Many roads are full of potholes and residents face chronic water shortages and increasing air pollution.

In a 2022 report by Amsterdam-based location technology firm TomTom, Bengaluru was ranked as the world’s second-most congested city and the most congested in India for vehicular traffic. Community leaders say the city’s streets are becoming like the ‘Wild West’, with a rise in scams, road rage incidents and other violations.

Sandeep Anirudhan, an activist who has founded several non-profit organizations focused on road safety, sustainability and water security, told SCMP that bike gangs and cars without licence plates had become a common sight. Anirudhan warned that these gangs could become a major safety risk if not controlled soon. He added that they sped around on main roads and also on narrow residential streets and that they were easily noticeable, although they quickly vanished, making it difficult for residents to take pictures.

TRAFFIC CHAOS EXPOSES COPS’ SHORTCOMINGS

A lack of coordination among enforcement authorities and inefficient traffic management in Bengaluru has emboldened perpetrators, who continue to harass motorists without fear of consequences. The criminals even break traffic laws right in front of police vehicles.

This normalizes violations to such an extent that the state appears powerless to stop them. Additionally, high levels of corruption among Bengaluru city traffic officials and daylight extortion by police officers in Bengaluru contribute to this problem. This situation has very serious negative psychological effects.

Official data shows that Bengaluru recorded 4,000 traffic violations last year. However, the city has only 5,600 traffic police officers to oversee around 2 million cars, 7.5 million two-wheelers and numerous public transport vehicles and autorickshaws. Dividing the police force into separate law enforcement and traffic units has had a negative impact, as traffic police staffing is limited.

When asked by This Week in Asia, Bengaluru police officials from the traffic and crime departments shifted blame onto each other for biker gang violations. They also claimed they did not have the necessary data on the issue.

With no action from officials, residents have started taking matters into their own hands by creating online accounts to document traffic violations. One such account, run by a user named ‘3rdEyeDude’, has become popular and sparked many complaints about road hazards in the city.

To address the issue of biker gangs and road rage, comprehensive reforms are necessary. These include merging enforcement units, increasing the number of road patrol officers, educating the public and improving vehicle registration processes. It is essential to place the entire traffic system under the management of senior and competent officers. Bengaluru should maintain its reputation as the Silicon Valley of India, rather than being labelled the ‘Corruption Capital of India’.

(The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)