THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Yousuf was bone tired and all alone when he reached Khardung La, in Ladakh, which is claimed to be the highest motor-able road in the world. The cold desert has defeated many a rider with its air starved of oxygen. There is even a board put up by the government which asks visitors to not linger at the place for more than 20 minutes. Yousuf remained undeterred and completed the road trip which he had undertaken against rape and discrimination.
Mohammed Yousuf, founder president of Legend Rider, a riders’ club in the city, along with his two friends began their road trip as part of a ‘Riders against rape and discrimination’ campaign launched by their club on their Royal Enfield bikes on May 5. However, lady luck didn’t favour them and both his wingmen had to retire from the trip in Delhi after being injured in accidents. But Yusuf pushed on and covered 16,700 kilometres, comprising 25 states, 101 cities, in 32 days.
“It was not an easy task and that too alone. There were nights when I came face to face with death. Off roads were dangerous,” says Yousuf. He recollects how he was helped by strangers in Bihar. “We stereotype Biharis as cruel people. But believe me when I say that these ‘cruel’ people came to my rescue when I got lost in a field which had no light or signage to guide me. They came with me till the main road and saw me off,” he adds.
The mission behind the trip was to convey the message that ‘Real Men Don’t Rape’. Yousuf visited Royal Enfield showrooms and different riders’ group all over the country to convey the anti-rape pledge. He is overwhelmed by the support he received from all of them. This 22-year-old man from Kollam feels that his mission will at least save one girl from being abused and repeats the tag line of his team ‘it takes lots of courage to be a rider, but it takes more courage to be a gentleman’.
“After every rape case, rallies are held by different organisations and for two days social media too gets bombarded by brothers. We don’t proclaim that we are brothers, but we promise we won’t do any offensive act to any women,” says Abhijith B R, riding coordinator of Legend Riderz. The team is busy planning different road trips and they are all set for another pan-India trip next month.