More than 2,100 vehicles were seized during a city-wide enforcement drive conducted by the Hyderabad Police on Thursday night against vehicles with tampered, altered, concealed or fake registration number plates.

The special operation — Operation Kavach — was carried out between 10 p.m. and midnight across Hyderabad. Police said the drive was aimed at curbing the growing practice of modifying or masking vehicle registration numbers, a tactic often used by offenders to evade detection and which can also result in innocent motorists receiving incorrect e-challans or being linked to criminal investigations.

A total of 12,098 vehicles were inspected during the operation, including 8,802 two-wheelers, 1,693 four-wheelers and 1,623 autorickshaws. Police detected 1,406 vehicles with improper or altered number plates, 1,132 vehicles operating without number plates and 69 vehicles using fake registration plates.

As part of the enforcement, 2,149 vehicles were seized, including 2,046 two-wheelers, 52 four-wheelers and 51 autorickshaws.

Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar personally inspected vehicle-checking points at several locations, including Jubilee Hills, Madhuranagar, Borabanda, Sanathnagar and Ameerpet. During the inspections, he stopped vehicles, examined registration plates and interacted with motorists found violating the prescribed norms. He directed personnel to initiate strict legal action against offenders.

According to police, the highest number of vehicle inspections was recorded in the Rajendranagar Zone with 2,376 vehicles checked, followed by the Secunderabad Zone with 2,230 and the Charminar Zone with 2,171. The highest number of vehicle seizures was reported from the Golconda Zone with 530 vehicles impounded, followed by the Charminar Zone with 444.

Addressing the media, the Commissioner said tampering with registration plates would no longer be treated as a routine traffic violation. He warned that motorists found deliberately altering, concealing or forging registration numbers could face criminal cases under provisions relating to cheating and forgery.

Police said offenders often bend number plates, erase characters or use fake registration numbers to conceal their identity while committing offences. Such practices not only hinder investigations but can also result in innocent vehicle owners being wrongly issued e-challans or drawn into criminal inquiries.

The Commissioner urged motorists to ensure that registration plates comply with Transport department norms and to carry valid vehicle documents at all times. He added that while the present phase of Operation Kavach primarily focused on two-wheelers, similar drives would be extended to other categories of vehicles in the coming weeks.