Hyderabad, Jun 5 (PTI) The city police have conducted a major, synchronised enforcement drive against tampering of vehicle registration number plates as part of measures to ensure public peace and safety.
As many as 2,149 vehicles were seized under the relevant provisions of the law during the intensive special drive, conducted from 10.00 pm on Thursday to 12.00 midnight.
The campaign, codenamed ‘Operation Kavach’. Specifically targeted the tampering, alteration, and masking of vehicle registration number plates, a police release said on Friday.
The illicit practice has not only emerged as a common stratagem for criminal elements to evade law enforcement agencies, but it also compromises public safety by wrongfully implicating law-abiding citizens
via erroneously generated e-challans and criminal cases, it said.
To mitigate the threat, Law and Order personnel were deployed on major thoroughfares to conduct rigorous inspections at strategically identified vital locations within the jurisdiction of every police station.
V C Sajjanar, Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City, personally conducted field inspections at multiple vehicle-checking points, including Jubilee Hills–Venkatagiri and Madhuranagar–Krishna Kanth Park.
The Commissioner personally intercepted several vehicles to scrutinise their registration number plates. He engaged directly with non-compliant motorists and enquired into the reasons for their non-adherence to standard guidelines, it said.
He emphasised the legal imperative of maintaining standard, legible number plates as mandated by the law. He instructed the enforcement personnel on duty to initiate strict statutory legal action against motorists found willfully violating the provisions.
During the operation, police personnel thoroughly inspected a cumulative total of 12,098 vehicles across various operational zones of the city. The inspected fleet comprised 8,802 two-wheelers, 1,693 four-wheelers, and 1,623 auto-rickshaws.
The drive successfully detected 1,406 vehicles with improper or altered number plates, 1,132 vehicles operating entirely without number plates, and 69 vehicles plying with counterfeit or fake registration plates.
Accordingly, a total of 2,149 vehicles were seized under relevant provisions of the law, which included 2,046 two-wheelers, 52 four-wheelers, and 51 auto-rickshaws, it said.
Sajjanar said ‘Operation Kavach’ has been institutionalised to guarantee the robust safety and security of the citizens.
He said deliberate tampering of registration number plates would no longer be classified or treated as a routine traffic infraction.
The Commissioner issued a stern warning that cases under the relevant sections for Cheating and Forgery would be registered against individuals found guilty of tampering with registration plates.
He advised all motorists to maintain their registration plates in absolute compliance with the clear, legible standards prescribed by the Transport Department, the release added. PTI SJR SJR ADB
