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Race for viral fame turns deadly for Class 12 student as 650 CC bike rams scooter in Lucknow
The incident has triggered renewed concerns among citizens, police and road safety experts over the increasing number of minors riding premium motorcycles.
LUCKNOW: The death of a 17-year-old Class 12 student in a road accident on Sunday morning has again highlighted the growing and dangerous mix of high-end motorcycles, teenage thrill-seeking and the lure of social media fame on the streets of Lucknow.
The teenager, Naitik Kumar, died after his motorcycle rammed into a scooter while he was riding at high speed, the purported video of which also went viral on social media. Police said the minor was riding a 650 CC motorcycle priced around ₹4 lakh.
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The incident has triggered renewed concerns among citizens, police and road safety experts over the increasing number of minors riding premium motorcycles, often purchased by parents but handed over to teenagers who do not possess a valid driving licence.
Naitik Kumar, a resident of Vishesh Khand in Gomti Nagar Extension, was an intermediate student and son of Ram Iqbal, an engineer in the electricity department. Naitik had gone out on the motorcycle towards Janeshwar Mishra Park for a ride in the morning. When he reached near Gate No. 5, his bike allegedly went out of control and rammed into a scooter moving ahead of him. The impact caused the bike to collide with another vehicle before Naitik lost balance and fell near the divider along with the bike and died.
Naitik and two others injured in the incident, identified as Aditya Srivastava and Krishna Singh, were taken to a hospital where doctors declared Naitik dead on arrival. Singh was discharged after treatment and Srivastav undergoing treatment.
Officials said such motorcycles, with high engine capacity and rapid acceleration, can easily reach dangerous speeds within seconds, making them difficult to control for inexperienced riders.
The problem is not limited to a single case. In a viral video that surfaced recently, several youths were seen performing stunts and speeding through city roads on high-end motorcycles, including a sports bike costing more than ₹5 lakh.
Traffic police officials said these groups often gather on wide roads, bypass stretches and newly developed areas where they race, record stunt videos and upload them on social media platforms to gain views and followers.
“The race for viral content is pushing many youngsters to take extreme risks on the road,” a traffic police officer said, adding that several cases of stunt riding, over-speeding and underage driving have been reported in recent months.
Under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, minors are not permitted to drive motor vehicles. In cases where underage driving is detected, legal action can also be initiated against the vehicle owner or guardian.
Despite periodic enforcement drives against reckless riding, officials say the trend continues due to a combination of easy access to motorcycles and lack of parental supervision.
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Road safety experts say the responsibility lies not only with law enforcement but also with parents who allow teenagers to ride such machines.
“Motorcycles with such high power require experience and discipline. Giving them to minors without training or licence can prove fatal,” a road safety activist said.
Naitik’s death has become yet another tragic reminder of how speed, inexperience and the pursuit of online validation can turn roads into deadly spaces.
‘None were riding with proper equipment’
People attempting bike stunts on roads are the biggest culprits because engaging in any such activity at a public place is against the law, said Pranjal Sisodia, a city-based expert biker.
“None of the riders near JMP were equipped with proper riding gear which includes riding boots, jacket, riding pants and gloves,” he said.
“Major injuries could have been prevented only if at least level 2 riding gear was used,” he added.
According to Sisodia, attempting any such adrenaline drives on roads requires a special pass or permission from authorities, which also requires prior availability of safety vehicle or ambulance at the place of such event.
“As a touring rider myself we also take part in off-roading as well as top speed events, but under controlled environment by the brand, and with permission of legal authority and proper riding gear,” said Sisodia.
‘Stunt tragedy’ turns into social media spectacle
Even as families mourn the loss of life in the bike accident near Janeshwar Mishra Park, some young riders present at the scene are facing criticism for posting videos of the crash and related content on social media, seemingly seeking views and followers.
The accident on Sunday involved multiple bikers, some of whom had mounted 360-degree cameras on their motorcycles to record their rides. According to posts shared by the riders, several of them were not part of any organised group ride but had independently gone to the area for biking and stunts.
One of the injured riders, Aditya Srivastava, who was riding a 500 cc bike, posted a video message on Instagram, claiming he had gone on a solo ride.
Another Instagram user, Prakashit Thakur, whose bio describes him as a “self-made biker”, posted multiple reels related to the accident. Many of the videos garnered millions of views. The user was also seen sharing posts celebrating milestones such as crossing certain numbers of views.
A closer look at the profiles of the riders indicates that both accounts previously featured several videos of risky stunts performed on city roads.
Gomti Nagar Extension SHO Sudheer Awasthi said no one had given a written complaint regarding the accident.
