Bhubaneswar, Aug. 16: Saheed Nagar police yesterday detained two youths for performing dangerous stunts on their motorcycles at Unit-IX here. The duo, who did not have driving licences, were later let off with a warning.

A senior police officer said some residents of Unit-IX informed them of the youths performing dangerous stunts on their motorcycles in the area on Wednesday afternoon.

The police control room van picked up the youths, both of whom were around 20 years old.

Four others fled on seeing the police. Since the youths are students of a city college, the cops have withheld their names.

Inspector in charge of Saheed Nagar police station K.P. Mishra said the two denied having performed dangerous stunts.

“These youths did not possess driving licences, but we came to know that they had applied for it. We then checked the documents of their vehicles they were authentic. We let them go with a warning,” said Mishra.

The Cuttack-Bhubaneswar police have banned drivers from performing stunts on the road. The ban followed instances of groups of youths, especially college students, performing dangerous stunts on their motorcycles. Following the restrictions, these groups started performing stunts on the city outskirts.

Former assistant commissioner of police (ACP), traffic, Nirmal Satpathy said these motorcycle stunt performers were youngsters, especially engineering students. “We had told them not to indulge in such dangerous games that threaten the security of others,” said Satpathy, adding that they would be fined heavily in case of violations.

Last week, some youths who claimed to be stunt artistes from the Odia film industry, were performing at Shikharchandi on the city outskirts. They were learnt to have organised the program to pay tribute to renowned stunt artiste Ekkan Das, who had been killed by some goons on November 26, 2010, near a private engineering college on NH-203 on the city outskirts.

The city traffic police wing that was unaware of the incident, later launched a hunt to catch the gang.

Inspector in-charge of the traffic police station at AG Square Ranjan Mallick said any vehicle stunt performance without police permission was banned. “Whenever we come across any such illegal activities, we conduct raids and take action,” said Mallick.