SRINAGAR: The 16-year-old motorcycle enthusiast Rasik Shabir’s facebook cover info has a suicidal quote: “Try to chase death it will run away from you.” Early Thursday morning, Rasik chased death while racing with a fellow biker near Safa Kadal. But instead of running away, as his quote would have him believe, the death embraced Rasik, leaving his family at Rajouri Kadal with an irreparable loss.
Eyewitnesses said Rasik and his friend went for tuitions to Braripora Safa Kadal early Thursday morning. “The tutor was still asleep. They wanted to kill time and ran for a race. When his buddy sped off Rasik got rash and accelerated to the full. But he lost balance and rammed into a wall,” an eyewitness said. The doctors say Rasik died of rupture of internal organs and catastrophic bleeding through his abdomen.
This is the second incident of death due to reckless biking in a month. On May 3 Muhammad Haroon Untoo died during crazy stunting near Sopore.
The mournful posts on pages run by Kashmir’s dangerous stuntmen reveals Rasikh was not just an avid biker he was also inspired by the stunt mania, a newly emerged behavioral menace among teens from wealthy parents. “Today we lost our fellow rider, may his soul rest in peace…we miss you bro,” reads the condolence post by “313 stunt club” of which Rasik was a member. Rasik’s close buddies in Rajouri Kadal say he wanted to become a cricketer but his facebook account suggests he had lapsed into a dangerous game.
Rasik’s father Shabir Ahmad has got a toehold in business of bakery manufacturing after long years of struggle. He wanted to grant every wish of his son and daughter. Now left with his two-year-old daughter, Shabir is all pain. “He learned biking when he was just 11 years old. Last year he insisted for a bike when he passed class 8 exam and got a Bajaj Pulsar,” says one of Rasik’s classmates.
Several young boys have died, in recent past, while stunting in the city and in other towns. On May 3, Muhammad Haroon Untoo, 18, from Sopore died while attempting a most daring stunt near Novpora area of the Apple Town.
Most of the Kashmir’s teens are increasingly getting used to the habit of flaunting the new motorbikes with added bravado. Social activists believe that the affluent class feels proud by gifting gadgets and gizmos to their young, exposing them to the irresponsible and dangerous social behaviors. “Even if one has enough wealth the basic expression of love toward one’s children is to impart values and a sense of responsibility” says Manzoor Raashid, a teacher from the uptown Parray Pora, where the bike stunting is rife with the young students.
The sad part is that none from the family notices Rasik’s ‘indoctrination’ into the gang of stunt maniacs. He has liked 45 pages featuring various stunt clubs of Kashmir including the most furious “911 stunt club”, which has nearly eleven thousand likes.
“Angry Birds stunt club” is yet another facebook page with , which promotes bike stunting, has eleven thousand likes. The page had last month posted a photograph of an injured member Mumin with encouraging words. “Get well soon bro,” reads the post beneath a photograph of Mumin, bandaged all over his waste and right leg.
About Thursday’s tragedy, there are some pervert comments on Rasik’s wall. “Proud you bro…keep the skill alive,” Peerzada Rawshid writes.
When contacted, Superintendent of Police (Traffic) Haseeb Rehman said the department has procured IT-enabled vans, which are parked secretly on roads. “We film these stuntmen and later arrest them. The interception is the only remedy,” the officer said adding that majority of young bikers don’t have driving license. Interestingly, Rasik, being underaged, was not even eligible for license. “Then how come his parents allowed him to drive a the stunt-specific Bajaj Pulsar?” asks Manzoor.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
ACT NOW |
MONTHLY | Rs 100 | |
YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |