Bengaluru Police To Book Offenders Under MV Act For Manipulating Number Plates

The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) have launched a specialised campaign against tampering with number plates in response to motorists' innovative tactics to evade surveillance technology used by law enforcement.

Since July 2022, the police have installed Artificial-Intelligence (AI)-enabled cameras across Bengaluru, aiming to monitor traffic violations and penalize offenders according to the law.

Despite the widespread surveillance, some drivers resorted to using fake number plates to evade detection. Initially caught off guard, the police have come across several instances of wrongful vehicle identification. Consequently, a concerted effort was initiated to flag such offenders and initiate criminal proceedings against them.

However, defiant motorists adopted various methods to hinder the cameras, such as masking or deliberately soiling the number plates to obstruct clear registration recording. Some resorted to taping portions of the plate, obscuring digits, covering it with plastic, or obstructing it with helmets or other items.

Traffic expert M.N. Srihari condemned these actions as a display of disregard for law enforcement. "Such reckless behavior not only contributes to rising road accidents but also fosters anti-social activities," he said told The Hindu.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M.N. Anucheth said these unlawful practices and underscored the police's ongoing drive against number plate manipulation. "Violators will face charges under the Motor Vehicles Act and will be prosecuted for deception," he affirmed.