GUNTUR: The Guntur district police have launched the ‘No Helmet - No Safety Drive’ to raise awareness about helmet usage and reduce road accidents.
Official reports show that over 1,000 road accidents have been reported in the district till December this year. Of these, 340 were two-wheeler accidents, resulting in 130 deaths and over 300 injuries.
The police introduced an innovative campaign. A skit featuring actors dressed as Yamaraju, the Hindu god of death, and his followers, Yamabhatulu, became a highlight of the initiative and was well-received by the public.
The campaign involved intercepting commuters without helmets, educating them about the risks of riding without protective gear, and stressing the importance of helmets for both riders and pillion passengers.
Guntur SP Sathish Kumar, along with traffic police, participated in the campaign across the district, urging commuters to wear helmets not out of fear of fines or police enforcement, but for their own safety and the safety of others on the road.
He emphasised that a sense of responsibility would lead to long-term change.
The campaign follows concerns raised by the AP High Court, led by Chief Justice Dheeraj Singh Thakur and Justice Cheemalapati Ravi, regarding the lack of enforcement of the mandatory helmet rule.