Bhubaneswar, Sept 16: The Odisha State Transport Authority (STA) has launched a strict crackdown on youth creating risky social media reels while driving. Incidents of people riding bikes with passengers on fuel tanks, driving without holding the steering wheel, and filming while operating vehicles have gone viral, raising serious safety concerns.

Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena has ordered stern action, while Principal Secretary Usha Padhee and STA Commissioner Amitabh Thakur are overseeing enforcement. Offenders face cancellation of driving licenses, vehicle registration suspensions, and heavy fines.

In recent cases, a car in Khordha seen in a viral video was seized, and the driver’s license and registration were suspended for three months. In Bhubaneswar, a couple riding dangerously on a bike faced penalties including DL cancellation. Similar actions have been taken in Puri and Koraput for reckless and drunk driving.

The STA has warned that no leniency will be shown to those endangering lives for online fame.