Kakkanad: New-generation bikes with folded or missing number plates, cargo lorries with crash guards blocking plate visibility, and tipper or Taurus lorries smeared with mud to obscure registration numbers — these are among the tricks being used to evade detection.

Violators deliberately conceal their vehicle numbers so that police or surveillance cameras cannot identify them when they commit traffic violations. These tactics—used by some bikers and truck drivers to dodge the automated enforcement systems—have become a major challenge for authorities.

When such vehicles get involved in accidents or caught on traffic cameras, officials often struggle to trace their identity. Even if captured on camera, the number plates are frequently illegible.

In many cases, side number plates are covered with tarpaulin sheets used to secure cargo — a common sight on pickup vans as well. Though cameras installed by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) and police, along with those used by vehicle inspectors, record these violations, identifying the vehicle owners and taking action remains difficult.

Because stopping vehicles without visible number plates can pose safety risks, officers in plain clothes often follow and intercept them when they halt elsewhere.

Vehicles found without number plates are directly handed over to the court, and released only after the prescribed punishment. Those found tampering with or obscuring number plates can be fined up to ₹5,000.