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Lawless biker gangs menace India’s Bengaluru while officials look the other way

  • Residents have begun to take matters into their own hands after a spate of extortion attempts by brazen biker gangs targeting drivers

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Dashcam footage captures the moment a biker gang member attacked a Bengaluru driver’s car with a coconut shell. Photo: Deepak Jain/Handout

Charan Singh’s car was ambushed on a deserted Bengaluru road one night – swarmed by a pack of reckless motorcyclists engaged in a terrifying high-speed chase.

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As the bikers manoeuvred dangerously close, one suddenly cut in front of Singh’s vehicle and dropped their bike, apparently trying to provoke a collision. With his three women passengers screaming, Singh had no choice but to run over the bike, narrowly avoiding hitting the riders.

Regrettably, such brazen acts of road intimidation have become all too common for drivers navigating Bengaluru’s streets, especially after dark.

The rise of brazen biker gangs targeting cars and their drivers for extortion has become a major source of concern for residents of India’s Silicon Valley. Social media has been flooded with reports of these harrowing incidents in recent months, underscoring the scale of the problem.

“Our car was registered in another state. This looks like an extortion attempt by an organised gang,” said Singh, who is a human resources professional. “Initially, two people blocked our car, but when it became a chase, others immediately joined.”

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Singh filed a complaint at a nearby police station after the incident and authorities quickly apprehended three individuals in connection with the confrontation. According to Singh, the alleged perpetrators boasted of having influential political ties.

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