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.

Published on: Aug 26, 2024, 20:00:13 IST

By Yamini C S

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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.

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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 drive aims to tackle these evasive tactics head-on and reinforce legal adherence. The problem, particularly pervasive in Bengaluru, has been a thorn in the side of traffic police for over a year. Despite an earlier special drive in October 2023 that led to 22 FIRs, defective number plates continue to obstruct enforcement efforts.

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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.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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