Bhubaneswar: In a swift action, the Commissionerate Police arrested four youths and detained another in connection with an alleged reckless driving incident in Odisha’s capital on Tuesday. The incident, which involved dangerous driving along Janpath, has sparked outrage among citizens and raised concerns about the city’s law and order situation.
One of the arrested individuals has been identified as Fayaz Khan, a resident of Jharpada, Bhubaneswar, while the detained minor’s credentials are being verified. The Kharavel Nagar police registered a case under various sections, including Sections 281/109/132/296/54/3(5) of the BNS and Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act.
According to a traffic officer who alerted the police, the group of delinquents was driving recklessly in four cars from Big Bazaar Square to Saheed Nagar around 9:30 a.m., endangering the lives of other commuters. The drivers were not only speeding but also drove onto dividers and pavements, causing chaos and disrupting traffic.
A video of the reckless driving went viral on social media, prompting public outrage. The footage shows the group driving at dangerously high speeds and terrorizing fellow commuters on the busy Janpath road.
The police responded promptly, registering a suo moto case, and within hours, arrested the five individuals involved. Three of the four cars, including a Safari, XUV, and Creta, have been seized by the authorities.
The incident occurred just a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Bhubaneswar for the launch of the Subhadra Yojana, during which the city has been turned into a high-security zone. The reckless driving episode has raised concerns about the state of law and order ahead of the high-profile visit.