In a city where automated enforcement is on the rise, many two-wheeler riders in Bengaluru have discovered a way to escape penalties—by removing or tampering with their number plates. These riders often run red lights, drive on wrong lanes, and vanish before any surveillance system can flag them, leaving a dangerous mark on road safety.
Despite the city’s growing reliance on AI-powered traffic cameras, these vehicles—without plates or with distorted ones—continue to dodge detection. Data from Bengaluru Traffic Police reveals that 4,794 cases of missing plates and 20,644 defective plates were recorded in 2024. In the first half of 2025 alone, there were 1,695 and 4,885 such cases respectively. However, officers admit this drop reflects a shift in focus rather than a real decline. “We’ve prioritized other violations like auto overcharging and helmetless riding this year,” a police official noted.
The reliance on contactless enforcement has emboldened violators. “Without a number plate, there’s no way to identify offenders, especially in road rage or hit-and-run cases,” said Rahul Goyal, a commuter who regularly spots untraceable bikes during his 4-km travel near KR Market.
Efforts to treat the offense as cheating were blocked when the Karnataka High Court ruled that driving without a plate doesn’t constitute fraud. This legal limitation restricts stricter action.
Stylized plates like ‘8055’—designed to mimic the word “BOSS”—pose another hurdle. Recently, Rajajinagar police seized an SUV flaunting a fake “MR BOSS” plate, earning public praise for swift action.