HYDERABAD: Complaints have been pouring after the South Zone policebegan asking people to submit smartphones and passports in return for their vehicles seized during the lockdown. In Chandrayangutta, the police have seized hundreds of vehicles, including bikes, autorickshaws and four-wheelers, for violating lockdown rules.

The police collected photocopies of registration certificates and Aadhaar cards from the vehicle owners and asked them to appear before the court after lockdown. However, several owners/riders, approached the Chandrayanagutta police urging them to release their vehicles. Responding to their pleas, the police allegedly asked them to submit smartphones and passports as a bond for their vehicles.

The police also asked the owners to clear pending challan at the time of release of vehicles. When people refused to submit their smartphones, the police said that they would submit the vehicle data to court for collecting penalty from the violators.

Meanwhile, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi urged DGP M Mahender Reddy and Commissioner Anjani Kumar to release two-wheelers that were seized during the lockdown. Reacting to reports of Karnataka High Court permitting the police to release the vehicles seized from lockdown violators, Owaisi tweeted, “Many poor people are suffering because of their vehicles being seized. Requesting @CPHydCity @TelanganaDGP to release 2 wheelers with a warning. [sic]”