State-wide crackdown on defective number plates nets nearly 10,000 cases from Bengaluru alone: Report

Karnataka police have cracked down on defective number plates, booking nearly 20,000 cases state-wide in three weeks, with Bengaluru leading at 9,684 cases.

In yet another a sweeping state-wide operation targeting defective number plates, the Karnataka police have booked an impressive 19,448 cases over the past three weeks. Bengaluru led the charge with a staggering 9,684 cases, making it the hotspot for this crackdown, The Hindu reported.

The drive aims to address evasive tactics used by motorists to evade traffic enforcement and criminal activities. (ANI Photo) (ANI)

Mysuru, Mangaluru, Belagavi, and Hubballi-Dharwad followed with significantly fewer cases, highlighting Bengaluru's unique struggle with this issue.

Alok Kumar, the Commissioner for Traffic and Road Safety, spoke to reporters and emphasized the rationale behind the drive, saying, “Defiance of law and manipulation must be dealt with firmly. This problem has now extended to other parts of the state and vehicles plying on highways started masking the registration plates either with dirt or with stickers or pieces of clothes to hoodwink enforcement cameras. To counter this, the district police put up checkpoints and intensified highway patrolling to identify or check on offenders. Following this we launched a state-wide special drive.”

The Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 stipulates hefty fines of up to ₹5,000 for such violations, and in severe cases, vehicles can be seized and criminal charges filed.

M. N. Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in Bengaluru, also spoke to the publication and noted that the reintroduction of physical vehicle checks is a crucial step in combating the persistent issue of defective number plates.