Patna, Sept. 30: Those who desire a driving licence without going through the rigour of clearing the test may find the road ahead rather difficult. For, police today nabbed 15 touts who used to help citizens get licences rather easily.

A police team, following the directions of the district administration, raided the neighbourhood of the district transport office (DTO) at Biscomaun Towers under Gandhi Maidan police station today. Fifteen men were taken into custody. Police claim they used to procure driving licences for their clients with the help of some DTO officials.

Patna city central superintendent of police (SP) Shivdeep Lande told The Telegraph that the raid was a part of a drive to check underage drivers, who speed on the thoroughfares of the state capital on two-wheelers. Many of these minor drivers also possess driving licences that they acquire with the help of these touts.

Lande said: “A week ago, we had started a drive against underage drivers after Deepak, a 15-year-old Class X student of DAV, Khagaul, lost his life when his motorbike hit a school bus. This raid is part of the drive, as we want to stop people from getting licences through illegal means.”

The raid in the area, however, caused inconvenience to passers-by who also came under the cop scanner. Some of them claimed the police harassed them.

Bank Employees’ Federation of Bihar has demanded action against the SP for allegedly manhandling two employees of Indian Bank at Biscomaun Towers. “During the raid, the police had arrested a generator operator by mistake. The bank employees explained to the SP what had happened. A constable, however, accused that the generator operator was a tout. The SP got angry, accused us of lying and manhandled Nagendra Prasad, senior manager of the bank, and Dev Bhushan Sharma, a clerk-cum-cashier,” B. Prasad, the general-secretary of the federation, said.

Lande denied the accusation and said that the man was trying to resist arrest. He was released later after signing a bond.

Many of the men arrested today said they were in the business for years. “I have been in this business for eight years now. We take Rs 200 to Rs 250 for the renewal of licences. Half the sum goes to the DTO office. We help clients get their licences easily. For a new licence we charge between Rs 700 and Rs 1,000. More if the applicant is underage.”

District transport officer Harihar Prasad, however, told The Telegraph that his office had written to the police to check such activities.

Prasad said: “We want to stop such rackets. So, we have written letters to the police. Two days ago, we wrote a letter to the Gandhi Maidan police station, asking the officers to conduct a raid. If people in the office are involved, police should take action against them.”