The Mobile Tigers got more teeth on Thursday with auto major Honda gifting 50 motorcycles to the city police’s beat patrol team.

Each bike is equipped with accessories such as revolving flashers, sirens, public announcement system, helmets, and a side box.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Private Limited presented the bikes, which take the number of two-wheelers with the Mobile Tigers to 100, to South Chhotangapur range DIG A.V. Homkar and city SSP Anish Gupta.

“With the increase in the number of bikes, our penetration into lanes of the city will increase and we will be able to provide better safety and security to city residents,” SSP Gupta said.

A police official, who spoke under cover of anonymity because he is not authorised to talk to the media, said the city cops needed more bikes.

“Bikes help reduce consumption of petrol and thus reduce patrolling cost,” the official said.

“At a time when bikes are commonly used to commit crime in the city, equipping the police team with bikes is needed to fight the war on crime on even footing.”

On Monday, criminals had looted Rs 12.5 lakh from the office of a poultry items company, Suguna Foods, in Hatma and fled on motorcycles after injuring the manager with the butt of a pistol.

Harbhajan Singh, director (general and corporation affairs), Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd, said the motorcycles were gifted as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility initiatives.

“As a responsible corporate citizen, our company is always committed to bring positive change in our society. With a view to ensure safety for all citizens, today we joined hands with the city police to contribute towards their community policing initiative,” Singh said.

“Considering the need for immediate rescue, we have presented the Mobile Tigers of Ranchi 50 Honda motorcycles equipped with advanced police accessories helpful in preventing crime.”

He said the company had earlier extended similar help to the police in Haryana and Punjab.