Road Rage Or Extortion? Bengaluru's Troubling Trends On Sarjapur Road

A recent incident on Sarjapur Road in Bengaluru involving a car ramming a scooter to evade extortion from individuals believed to be intoxicated is just the latest among several reported cases of road rage in the city.

The video was shared by Charan Pal Singh, CEO and founder of Talentrackr Technologies on platform X tagging the Bengaluru City Police to seek action.

Many commenting on the post noted that such occurrences have become frequent along Sarjapur Road in Bengaluru. "These incidents are becoming regular in Bengaluru these days. Sarjapur area lacks proper street lighting and police patrolling," remarked a user in the comments section.

According to police reports, culprits deliberately position themselves near unmonitored junctions to evade CCTV cameras and target lone vehicle users. They provoke drivers into altercations over minor issues, attempting to extort money. In some instances, they falsely accuse drivers of reckless driving or deliberately cause damage to vehicles, pressuring motorists to pay up to avoid further trouble.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda explains that road rage, although distinct from extortion, can escalate from minor provocations like hand gestures or overtaking, leading to heated arguments, physical altercations, and property damage.

He notes that while these incidents have been ongoing for some time, a surge in dashcam videos and social media posts has created the impression that these are recent occurrences.

M N Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), distinguishes road rage from extortion, emphasizing that the latter, involving gangs' deliberate schemes to extract money, is a more serious criminal offense. Anucheth underscores the importance of differentiating between rash driving and the deliberate intent to extort, urging stricter penalties for such criminal acts under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Check out series of road rage episodes in Bengaluru in recent times: