The police in northern India’s Uttar Pradesh have taken strict action against drivers who cause noise pollution by destroying modified silencers.

The incident took place in Hapur on May 4.

Visuals captured the bulldozer moving over the modified silencers, while bystanders stood with their camera and captured the incident unfold.

Speaking to Newslions, an official of the Hapur media cell said that the police have taken decisive action against drivers who contribute to noise pollution by installing modified silencers on Bullet bikes, removing the original silencers. On a Saturday afternoon, the police removed the modified silencers from Bullet bikes and destroyed them using a bulldozer. The rationale behind this action, as explained by the police department, is that despite the removal of the silencers, some drivers reinstall them on their vehicles. To address this issue, the decision was made to destroy the silencers. It is worth noting that many Bullet bike drivers in the district had installed modified silencers, causing significant noise pollution that inconvenienced pedestrians. The operation, dubbed “Operation Patakha,” was carried out in the district under the supervision of SP Abhishek Verma.

These Bullet bike drivers often caused disturbances by emitting loud sounds similar to firecrackers from their silencers and driving at high speeds, resulting in inconvenience for pedestrians and the elderly. Following complaints from the public, the traffic police conducted a campaign from January to April, during which 509 modified silencers were removed at various locations in the district.

Providing further details, District DSP Traffic Varun Mishra explained that mechanics were called to remove and confiscate the silencers from the vehicles caught during the checking operations. A total of 509 modified silencers were seized by the traffic police over the course of four months. On Saturday afternoon, the bulldozers were used to destroy all the confiscated silencers, with traffic incharge inspector Upadesh Kumar and other policemen present during the operation.