Srinagar, May 28: With law enforcement agencies completely failing to crackdown on youth involved in stunt biking on the Valley roads, the menace is assuming an alarming proportion with commuters complaining that these stunts were putting lives of scores of people in jeopardy on busy stretches.
 Encouraged by the silence of the authorities over the issue, these youth have also created a fan page “Valley Bike Stunters Club” on the social networking site, Facebook, which till now has received 1121 likes from the account holders.
 “The youth perform dangerous stunt biking along the Residency Road, Boulevard, Foreshore Road, Gupkar Road, Bar Bar Shah stretch, Rajbagh near Presentation Convent school in full public gaze and under the nose of the police personnel,” the frequent commuters on these roads told Greater Kashmir adding that these youth, riding powerful bikes, also indulge in rash driving. “These youth perform various stunts in front of the cars and other vehicles plying on the road thereby putting the lives of passengers, particularly in danger,” said Farooq Ahmed.
 He said the stunts performed by youth include applying sudden brakes in high speed on front wheel in order to lift the back wheel of the bike in air, standing on the bike while riding it, freeing arms from handle and riding the bike.
 “The people driving their cars behind these riders or coming in opposite direction have to be extra cautious. If any untoward incident takes place the onus will directly lie on the driver following him,” the drivers said, adding that a mishap can occur anytime on these road stretches due to these stunts. “The pedestrians also feel threatened due to the actions performed by these youth as they are also apprehensive of being hit,” the drivers added.
 These youth are also involved in rash driving. “These youth drive rashly on Boulevard and cause panic among the commuters and pedestrians who try to save themselves from being hit,” the commuters added. 
 The Facebook page “Valley Bike Stunters Club” of these riders, is full of comments and praises from others who draw pleasure from these deadly stunts. “Fight on and fly on to the last drop of blood and the last drop of fuel to the last beat of the heart,” is the status message posted by “Valley Bike Stunters Club” along with photographs of stunts done by youth on bikes. “Itz All About Passionate Stunnerz Here in Kashmir Valley...” is the slogan of the Club.
 The youth have even created albums of youth indulging in stunt biking.
 Hospital sources said that several youth, who had suffered grievous injuries while performing the stunts, had been brought to hospital for treatment. “It is purely an adrenaline rush,” the medicos told Greater Kashmir adding the number of youth suffering wounds in bike mishaps had increased manifold.
 When contacted, DIG (Traffic), Shafqat Wattali said the Police would come down heavily on these youth indulging in these activities. “This is a grave issue and we will launch a campaign to nab the youth involved in illegal acts,” the DIG said.
 He also advised the parents to keep their children under scanner and bar them from performing these acts.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 29 May 2012 00:00:00 IST