PRAYAGRAJ, April 21 -- Luxury SUVs with jetblack window films, missing number plates, and high end motorcycles roaring through crowded streets have become an escalating concern for the city police. Reckless youngsters, often chasing thrill and attention, continue to perform dangerous stunts, turning public roads into high-risk zones and endangering the lives of everyday commuters. The temerity of the trend was starkly evident on Sunday afternoon when a black Thar SUV- without a number plate and fitted with illegal tinted film-performed reckless stunts right in front of the Civil Lines police outpost at the busy Subhash Chowk crossing. A video of the incident, which later went viral on social media, showed the driver repeatedly swerving the vehicle and coming dangerously close to running over a police constable who attempted to stop him. The stunt continued for nearly two minutes in full public view before the SUV sped off towards Nawab Yusuf Road, triggering panic among motorists and pedestrians at the busy intersection. Taking serious note of the incident, senior police officials swung into action that same night. Civil Lines police station SHO Ramasrey Yadav said CCTV footage from nearby areas was reviewed, leading to the identification and seizure of the vehicle involved. "A case has been registered against Raj Shekhar Mishra, who carried out the stunt at Subhash Chowk. The vehicle has been seized, and the accused will be arrested soon," he said. Police officials, however, concede that this is far from an isolated incident. Despite clear traffic regulations, illegally modified vehicles are being spotted almost daily on arterial roads and crowded intersections. Young riders on premium sports bikes are often seen overspeeding, pulling wheelies, racing in groups, and dangerously weaving through traffic, while SUVs with tinted windows and missing registration plates continue to slip past enforcement and evade identification. According to traffic department records, 122 cases of stunt riding were reported between January 1 and March 31, 2026, compared to 437 cases reported in 2025. According to traffic department officials, stunt riding falls under the rash driving category and invites a monetary fine of Rs 10,000. The escalating menace has sparked serious concerns over road safety, especially for pedestrians, cyclists, and two-wheeler riders. However, the traffic department states that enforcement efforts are being severely hampered by an acute shortage of manpower. Traffic inspector Amit Kumar said the entire district is being managed daily with less than half the sanctioned traffic personnel strength. "VIP duties also take away a significant portion of staff, leaving very limited manpower for traffic regulation," he explained, adding that during peak hours, commuters are often left to navigate the chaos on their own. Official records lay bare the scale of the crisis. Against a sanctioned strength of 1,268 personnel-including traffic inspectors, sub-inspectors, head constables, constables and home guards-the department is currently functioning with only 553. To manage the shortfall, staff are routinely working 12-hour shifts instead of the mandated eight, often stretching to 15 hours when colleagues are on leave. At any given time, only about half of the available workforce is on active duty, further worsening the situation. The staff crunch has led to congestion at most of the city's 256 identified traffic intersections. Commuters say that in the absence of visible policing, rash driving and stunt riding go largely unchecked-even during peak hours-heightening the risk of serious accidents. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, the use of black film beyond permissible limits is prohibited, and vehicles are required to display clearly visible number plates. However, enforcement on the ground remains weak. Police sources admit that vehicles without number plates become nearly impossible to trace once they disappear into narrow by-lanes after committing violations. DCP (City) Manish Shandilya said steps are being taken to tackle the issue. "We are planning special drives across various parts of the city to crack down on stunt riding and traffic violations," he said, assuring strict action against offenders....