Patna: The traffic police department has started an intensive drive in the city against use of fancy number plates that have made the task of the police to curb crime tougher.
Though the drive was conducted in the past, it had taken a backseat after which use of flashy numberplates have increased manifold.
Patna traffic superintendent of police P.N. Mishra said it has been observed that youngsters go for flashy number plates because they attract eyeballs but they aren't aware that it is a violation of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
Mishra has personally caught hold of a few vehicles and fined them on the spot and had ordered removal of such number plates.
Crime incidents have increased in the past few months and one can make out from the number of cases registered in the city police stations.
"Most crime cases are registered by seeing the number plates of the vehicles. In a crime incident we ensure that the registered number plate is mentioned in the FIR. What type of number plate should be there is clearly mentioned in the Motor Vehicles Act. Violation of the rule is a crime," Mishra said. Fancy numbers and number plates give advantage to criminals while fleeing a crime spot and it becomes difficult for the police to note down the number. The traffic SP said action should be taken against shops which make fancy number plates.
"Criminals get benefit in the court because they change their statements claiming that the vehicle does not belong to him because they usually change the number plates after a crime. In some cases, we have found that instead of 8055, it's written BOSS but in the court they change their statement after changing the number plates," Mishra said.
In Patna, many vehicles have been found flaunting their castes on number plates.
"They write Prasad, Rajput, Yadav and many such surnames," Mishra said.
According to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the registration letters on a number plate should be in black against a white background for cars and two-wheelers, and black against yellow for commercial vehicles. Vehicles should also properly display number plates in front and on the rear.
But in Patna some number plates are triangular, colourful with irregular font sizes and slogans.
The transport department is conducting a drive regarding use of high security number plates too. As things stand now around 3 lakh vehicles in Patna is using the high security number plates.
On the status of the drive, Patna district transport officer Ajay Kumar Thakur said: "As of now 3 lakh vehicles are using high security number plates and around 5 lakh vehicles are yet to convert. Earlier, the last date to convert to high security number plates was July 15, but it has been extended as we have more vehicles to cover. We are slapping a fine of Rs 600 on owners of new vehicles because they are supposed to use it and warning the older ones."
