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

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

“Other neighbours have experienced similar acts. I’ve heard about such unsavoury incidents from friends and colleagues as well,” he said.

Marketing professional Deepak Jain also found himself the target of an extortion attempt while driving in Bengaluru earlier this month.

“I keep reading about extortion cases in Bengaluru, so when I was forcibly stopped and saw the attacker pick up a coconut shell, I had an intuition,” said Jain, who initially thought it was a road rage incident. “I also noticed another car trying to obstruct my way about 200–300 metres ahead while I was trying to flee the scene.”

“The next day, while returning from the police station, another