NASHIK: Around 775 motorcycle riders were caught driving their two-wheelers without wearing a helmet during the helmet compulsion drive launched by the rural police on Friday.A fine of Rs 2.25 lakh was slapped on the motorists. The drive, which has been named 'Sadak Suraksha, Jeevan Raksha' aims to press upon riders the need to wear helmets while driving.Senior police officials said that on the backdrop of the huge awareness that they had conducted on the helmet drive, a large number of people were seen conforming to the rule of wearing helmets while driving.Police said senior citizens of the rural district and social activists welcomed the helmet compulsion drive. The officials added that many people bought helmets ahead of the drive to ensure that they did not have to face music.Police said helmet saved the life of Pratik Shivaji Aher (27), a resident of Mharool area. Pratik was riding his two-wheeler from the Mumbai-Agra highway to Chandwad on Friday when his vehicle was hit by a truck from behind.As part of the drive, police officials would be visiting schools, colleges, government offices to sensitize students and others about the use of helmet. Police said that they would also be holding meetings at different villages for increasing awareness on the use of helmets.The campaign, that will last for a week, will see police continue taking action against bikers driving on roads in the rural district without helmets.Officials and personnel of all the 40 police stations of Nashik rural police, the district traffic branch and Malegaon traffic branch conducted nakabandis and challaned bikers without helmet.

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