This state issues over 1.32 lakh challans for irregular number plates this year

The Hyderabad Traffic Police has issued a total of 1,32,392 e-challans so far this year against those moving around with tampered or no registration number plates, Telangana Today reported. Out of these, 97,756 challans were issued against two-wheelers, 31,392 against four-wheelers and 3,244 against other vehicles.

The officials also registered 525 criminal cases against the violators. The crackdown on vehicles with invalid or no registration numbers are part of the state traffic police's special drive against the wrong number plates.

The special drive was started after the top brass noticed such vehicles were used in criminal offences, the report said. These vehicles either use false number plates or delete digits/letters from them. The police faces problems in tracking down the offenders who use such vehicles with tampered number plates. Such vehicles are used for crime such as property offences or involvement in road accidents.

During the drive, such vehicles are being seized for violation of the prescribed number plate display rule and a complaint is being lodged at the nearest local law and order police station. "A criminal case is booked and the vehicle owner is arrested," Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) AV Ranganath told the publication. After this, the vehicle owner has to attend the case in the local court concerned until the judgment is pronounced.

Ranganath also said that while most people tamper with the registration number plate to escape traffic challans, another aspect, and a more serious one is that they use such vehicles for unsocial elements that put the citizens at a greater risk. "It has several security and law & order implications and wrong number plates could mislead the law enforcement agencies in detection or investigation of an offence," he said.