3 min readHyderabadUpdated: Apr 24, 2026 07:27 PM ISTCyberabad and Hyderabad police are cracking down on vehicles with missing or cloned number plates. (Image generated using AI)After cracking two cases of miscreants using cloned registration numbers on their vehicles, police in Hyderabad and Cyberabad jurisdictions took a closer look at their CCTV and traffic camera feeds and found that some others had entirely removed number plates from their vehicles. In these cases, automated traffic cameras merely recorded photos of violations connected to these vehicles, but could not send challans because there was no registration number.Based on a tip-off, Cyberabad Traffic Police first conducted a check at the Kukatpally Housing Board (KPHB) traffic police station limits on Thursday and found at least a dozen two-wheelers without a number plate. As they widened the net to other areas, more two-wheelers without number plates were found and seized across Cyberabad and Hyderabad in the last two days.Officials said that some of the drivers removed the number plates after learning that fake number plates could be detected, too, and that this could land them in jail. “A few drivers stuck yellow stickers, making them appear like temporary registration stickers, but they were not. Some tried to hide the lack of a number plate by putting a cloth over the area. Their intention was not only to evade challans for wrong-side driving or jumping signals, but also to evade loan recovery agents,” an official said.It was the loan recovery agents who tipped off police about this.Meanwhile, cracking down on the use of cloned or fake number plates, the Hyderabad City Traffic Police has identified two more cases of the misuse of a fake vehicle registration number.Based on information gathered from various sources, a case was registered at Abids Police Station, and the accused, Shaik Mustafa (29), a resident of Basharath Nagar, was arrested. Investigation revealed that the accused had affixed a fake registration number plate to his two-wheeler with the intention of evading traffic enforcement, penalties, and finance recovery agents. Due to this, multiple traffic violations were wrongly attributed to the genuine vehicle owner. A case has been registered under the relevant provisions of the BNS and the Motor Vehicles Act. Notice has been issued to the accused, and further investigation is in progress.In another case, a vehicle owner contacted Hyderabad and Cyberabad traffic police, stating that a challan was issued on April 22 on the registration number of their vehicle. “The vehicle number is mine, but the photo of the vehicle shown in the notification is not my vehicle,” the vehicle owner said in the complaint. Police have opened an investigation.Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd