Youth criss-cross streets of Tirunelveli, Palayamkottai on motorcycles without number plates, photograph houses creating fear in residents

Youth riding motorcycles without number plates criss-crossing Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai, especially the peripheral areas at odd hours, has triggered panic among the residents. These riders with or without helmets have also been taking photographs of many houses.

With the police not taking any action, the riders, most of them in the 20-35 age group, have been freely roaming the roads in Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai on motorcycles without registration number plates. Many of these motorcycles have the registration number plates slantingly fixed below the pillion so that they remain illegible. The police can never identify these culprits if these vehicles are used for committing crimes. What is causing concern among residents is the fact that there been a spurt in the number of burglaries and chain snatching in Palayamkottai recently.

When four youths on two motorcycles — one without number plate and the other with Meenambakkam RTO number plate — were roaming their area on Wednesday evening, a few residents of Teachers’ Colony near Government Engineering College on Tirunelveli-Nagercoil Highway questioned the four when they were taking the photographs of a few houses with their mobile phones. As the residents photographed them, the fourt left the place in a hurry.

“We need to be cautious about the suspicious movements of the strangers on motorcycles without registration number plates. The police should act tough against the motorcycles going around without number plates as this violation tells their motive,” said Antony Babu and dentist Charles, residents of Teachers’ Colony.

In another case, two youths with helmets on a motorcycle without number plate harassed two women riding a scooter near the newly formed traffic island on South Bypass a couple of weeks ago.

“The panic-stricken girls left the spot as they did not want to file any complaint with the police. Even if they prefer a complaint, the culprits’ identity cannot be established as there was no number plate on their motorcycle, “ said the residents.

Appeal to police

Members of the public have appealed to the police to book cases under punitive sections against the culprits as their only motive behind roaming the streets on motorcycles without number plants is to commit crimes.

Residents near the new bus stand have complained about the motorcycles without number plates and modified silencers causing nuisance in the small hours. “Something really big is going to happen one day as the angered residents will swing into action with the police being mute spectators,” said a resident.

When the photographs of the two motorcycles were shared with Santosh Hadimani, Commissioner of Police, Tirunelveli, he assured the residents of strict action and promised to intensify the drive against the motorcycles without number plates.