Bengaluru: Expressing grave concern over the menace of wheelies (bike stunts), the Karnataka High Court has directed the State Government to bring necessary amendments to Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita and Karnataka Motor Vehicle Act to effectively rein in those indulging in bike stunts on busy highways and roads.
During the hearing of a petition filed by Arbaaz Khan, a resident of Gangavati in Koppal district, the bench, presided over by Justice V Shrishanand, stated that the current laws are insufficient to deter youngsters from performing wheelies. Justice Shrishanand emphasized the need for stricter laws, stating that the menace poses a significant threat to public safety.
The court noted while the issue of wheelies was previously limited to metro cities, it has now spread to smaller towns and rural areas. Justice Shrishanand commented that youth involved in suchstunts may perceive them as adventurous activities, unaware of the serious risks involved, not only to their own lives but also to those of others. He further added that such behavior negatively impacts the well-being of society.
Justice Shrishanand also instructed subordinate courts to handle wheelie cases with strictness, emphasizing that the danger these acts pose to road safety and law and order must be taken into consideration. He asserted that individuals engaging in such activities must be brought to book. The judge also dismissed Arbaaz Khan's petition, which challenged the chargesheet filed against him by Gangavati police.
Arbaaz nd two others were performing wheelies near the Hemagudda Durgamma temple in Gangavati on October 9, 2024. When the police attempted to stop them, the trio lost control of their bike and fell. Later they engaged in an altercation with the police. One of them even snatched the cell phone of one of the policemen and threw it in the Tungabhadra river canal following which Gangavati police registered a case against the trio and also filed a chargesheet after an investigation.
"The charges against the petitioner are bailable ones. But he is a habitual offender. So it should be right to argue that he should be given bail because a chargesheet has been filed against him in the court concerned" Justice Shreeshanand said.
