Malappuram: Mohammed Shafi, a 24-year-old from Madikeri in Karnataka is ruing the moment he decided to overtake a police patrol vehicle at midnight while riding a two-wheeler without a helmet and with his two friends riding pillion. Shafi is the accused in the first FIR registered under the new criminal law Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in Kerala at Kondotty police station.
The police reported the occurrence of the crime at midnight on July 1, the date on which BNS came into existence. The police entered the case number in the general diary at 12.20 am. The police team under SI P Baburaj registered the case and seized the bike. They have registered the case under section 281 of BNS and section 194D of the Motor Vehicle Act for reckless and dangerous driving. Shafi and two of his friends, living near Calicut University, went out late at night on Sunday to have food from outside. They borrowed a friend's bike and went to the Kolathur side for food. Three of them saw a patrolling vehicle of police travelling ahead of them while they were on their way back to the room.
"We saw the police jeep in front of us and were reluctant to overtake it. However, with a little bit of confusion, we overtook the vehicle and the moment we did, the police asked us to stop our bike. They questioned us in a gentle manner about riding with two persons as pillion riders and not wearing helmets. The police informed us that they are taking a case under the newly introduced BNS and the details of the case,'' Shafi told Onmanorama. Shafi moved to Kerala eight months ago and is working as a salesperson in Kozhikode. His family moved very early to Madikeri and they have settled there. The bike will be handed over to the owner after paying the fine in court.
