Chennai: Several youths raced motorcycles and performed dangerous stunts on city roads late Saturday night. Kodambakkam residents blocked a road and demanded action against recurring weekend bike races.Groups of bikers were seen speeding through Nungambakkam, Gemini Flyover, Royapettah, Kodambakkam and Valluvar Kottam. At the Valluvar Kottam signal, more than 25 youths gathered with motorcycles and performed stunts. Videos showing them speeding past other vehicles went viral online. Several riders repeatedly revved their motorcycles, alarming motorists and disturbing residents. Police later detained three bikers for questioning.Residents said such races had become a regular feature on Friday and Saturday nights. Tension prevailed on Kodambakkam Main Road as residents gathered and blocked the road, briefly disrupting traffic. Angered by the noise and speeding motorcycles, residents came out of their houses and placed barricades across portions of the road to stop the bikers. The bikers sped away as residents tried to block them.When patrol police personnel arrived, residents surrounded them and questioned them about “inadequate enforcement despite repeated complaints”. “Bikers attempting to evade vehicle checks often made sudden U-turns upon spotting police personnel or barricades and sped away in the wrong direction. They put other motorists at risk,” said Dayalan, a resident of United India colony.Following the protest, senior police officers stepped up surveillance on stretches where racing had been reported. They added barricades and deployed teams to intercept those involved. Police said they are examining CCTV footage and other videos to identify the riders and motorcycles involved.
