Balasore: The traffic police have started cracking whips on the speed bikers here to curb accidents due to rash driving.

On Friday, within two hours of surprise checking operation, police seized 60bikers on the charge of violating traffic rules in the city area mainly on the roads connecting FM College and at busy intersections. It was found that twelve of the violators were minors.

After the seizure of bikes, the officials verified their documents, including driving license and insurance papers.

Rs 17,000 penalty was collected from the errant bikers.

All the bikes except nine, which had no valid papers, were handed over to the owners, said officer in charge of traffic police station Prasant Ransingh.

He said five bikers, who were caught riding their bikes while talking on their mobile phones were fined. Silencers of two hi-end bikes, which were producing disturbing noise, were removed.

The minor bike drivers were handed over to their parents urging them not to give bike to their underage children.

The police said a team consisting of 25 personnel have been formed to catch the traffic rule violators.

"This is the fourth round of our operation against speed bikes. Earlier in the first three phases, 88 bikes were seized, while the recent raid led to seizure of 60 bikes. This operation has been undertaken following suggestions of conscious residents and intellectuals of the town," said Ransingh.

"The drive will continue. We have a target of conducting another five surprise checks within a month," he said.

Inspector in charge of Traffic police station, Paresh Rout, said: "The rash bikers are either road Romeos, criminals or drug addicts. Most of them have been identified and some of them have been nabbed."