The case of a gang tailing a scientist’s car and smashing its windshield on the outskirts of northwestern Bengaluru is only the most recent of the many road rage incidents being reported in the city. Police say that these perpetrators position themselves near junctions not under CCTV surveillance nor are the police, to ensure they leave no trail behind.
They target vehicle users who are alone and try to provoke the drivers into engaging in a verbal spat or a bout of fisticuffs over trivial reasons. In some cases, they accuse the car drivers of hitting them or overtaking them rashly, while in others, they chase the vehicles or cause damage to the other car by themselves. By creating such situations, many miscreants aim to extort money from hapless motorists who, more often than not, pay to avoid escalating the situation.
Road rage vs extortion
Road rage does not mean extortion. By definition, road rage is a sudden violent or aggressive anger experienced by a vehicle user due to frustration driven by the actions of other vehicle users on the road. This frustration can lead to verbal insults, abuse, physical threats, and dangerous driving, all with the intent to cause harm or intimidate others.
“Sometimes, these incidents emerge from simple things like hand gestures or overtaking. People take such actions seriously, leading to arguments that escalate into violent fights and property damage,” says Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda.
These incidents have been occurring for a long time, but social media users’ recent flurry of dashcam videos and written posts have created a narrative that this is a recent phenomenon, he adds.
The traffic police agree. M N Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), explains that road rage is instantaneous and occurs due to frustration experienced on roads while these recent crimes done to extort money are more serious as a part of several gangs’ modus operandi.
He notes that rash driving is a behavioural issue that is sometimes conflated with road rage, even when the present definition of the latter has begun to change.
“Extorting people is not road rage; it is a deliberate crime that is much more heinous than rash driving and deserves a much higher punishment. It has to be charged under Section 384 of the IPC and is akin to serious robbery cases,” he says.
Social media aids in reporting
Social media posts have ensured swift police action. However, Dayananda says they have also created a sense of “fear psychosis” among the general public and possibly maligned the city’s reputation of safety.
“In multiple cases, people have uploaded very old videos and caused problems for the police in the investigation. They should refrain from posting old videos or videos of incidents from outside the city.”
Police action
The city police chief has instructed personnel across divisions to increase the frequency of patrolling and attend to road rage and extortion complaints without delay. Police on cobra bikes attend to these incidents while those posted on the ground have been equipped with body cameras.
The police commissioner announced in August that they would open rowdy sheets against road rage miscreants. However, this is a lengthy process, he says.
“First, the police will probe the case and collect all details. Based on the evidence collected through the investigation, they will decide on opening a rowdy sheet.”
Police will assess the trigger for the incident and its aftermath, besides conducting background checks of those involved, to understand the intensity of the crime, he adds.
A plea will be submitted to the court with the necessary evidence, and the court must provide permission to open a sheet after going through the investigation report. Courts might take up to 15 days to deliver their decision.
Investigation challenges
Jurisdictional problems persist, as many cases occur on the outskirts of the city, which may delay the investigation.
“Sometimes, residents of the Bengaluru district commit these acts within the Bengaluru city limits, and vice versa, which complicates the investigation,” he adds.
City police have had several meetings with the superintendents of the police of Bengaluru district to ensure a swift resolution is arrived at.
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Cut-off box - Police instructions for safety Call 112 Install dash camera Record the incident on a mobile phone in case there is no dash camera. Do not indulge in arguments with perpetrators Do not try to handle the situation on your own
Cut-off box - Recent road rage incidents Aug 24: Gang tails scientist’s car smashes windshield July 18: Auto driver breaks the windshield of a techie’s car in Whitefield July 13: Three men attack and break the windshield of a private firm employee’s car in Varthur June 11: Auto driver damages woman’s car rear windshield with a stone in Jalahalli April 8 : Goods vehicle driver arrested for brushing past and later threatening a bike-borne father-son duo with a long knife in Ramamurthy Nagar Jan 20 : Woman dragged a man on the bonnet of her car after an altercation in Jnana Bharathi
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