Three youngsters were killed, while two others sustained injuries when their motorcycles collided during a bike race arranged by gamblers at Peshawar Road here on Monday after ‘Sehr’.

Eyewitnesses said that the race started at Peshawar Road at about 5 a.m. when there was not much traffic. According to them, dozens of speedsters took part in the race. “Police were patrolling on the road, but no one intercepted them.”

“About 30 speedsters took part in the race riding different power bikes,” eyewitness said, adding that as they reached near Niazi Gas Station, some bike-riders collided with each other while avoiding the under-construction patch of the road.

Two speedsters died on the spot, while one expired in the hospital during surgery, the ‘Rescue-1122’ said. Two others were shifted to the hospital in critical condition, rescuers added.

Asif Abbasi, Haris and Mohammad Haleem, residents of surrounding localities, were among the dead, the ‘Rescue-1122’ said.Bike races have become a routine matter in Islamabad too as police avoid intercepting young racers.

The Seventh Avenue converts into a racetrack between 10 p.m. and midnight in the presence of patrolling police but no policeman bars them from taking part in the dangerous bike race without wearing helmets. The bike races start from Margalla Road at 7th Avenue to ISI Intersection.

The racers, lying straight on their bikes, maintain maximum speed to win the competition touching the needle of the speedometer over 120 kilometres per hour, leaving cars behind, moving from one lane to the other.