BENGALURU: The owners of 2,052 vehicles that were seized during the lockdown and were also involved in previous traffic violations have not come forward to claim them, officials said.
Police seized about 35,000 vehicles for lockdown breach in Bengaluru, according to the state government’s submission in the high court. Of these, 10,537 vehicles were found to be involved in 39,002 previous traffic violations, the fines for which had not been paid. These vehicles were handed over to the traffic police. Barring 2,052, the owners of the rest have applied to get the rides released, traffic police officers said.
Car and two-wheeler owners, booked for moving around during the lockdown, must deposit Rs 1,000 and Rs 500, respectively, and settle unpaid fines for traffic violations, if any.
A traffic police officer said that the department had collected nearly Rs 95 lakh in fines while releasing 8,485 vehicles.
There is some curiosity in the department over the unclaimed 2,052 rides, whose owners were booked for 5,677 traffic offences. These vehicles are gathering dust in front of police stations.
“One theory is that some vehicles were stolen and their users don’t want to come forward as they will be arrested. Many genuine owners may be staying away as they don’t have the money to pay fines,” a senior officer said.
Joint commissioner of police (traffic) BR Ravikanthe Gowda said the department would contact police for a review of records. “It is not clear why the owners of 2,052 vehicles have not turned up. We will coordinate with police and find out if any rides figure in the records of stolen vehicles, and take an appropriate decision soon,” Gowda said.
Only those identified as owners in official documents are allowed to apply for release of vehicles. “Some people are perhaps not applying as they don’t have proper paperwork to prove their ownership,” he said.
Authorities began releasing impounded vehicles on May 1.
Police seized about 35,000 vehicles for lockdown breach in Bengaluru, according to the state government’s submission in the high court. Of these, 10,537 vehicles were found to be involved in 39,002 previous traffic violations, the fines for which had not been paid. These vehicles were handed over to the traffic police. Barring 2,052, the owners of the rest have applied to get the rides released, traffic police officers said.
Car and two-wheeler owners, booked for moving around during the lockdown, must deposit Rs 1,000 and Rs 500, respectively, and settle unpaid fines for traffic violations, if any.
A traffic police officer said that the department had collected nearly Rs 95 lakh in fines while releasing 8,485 vehicles.
There is some curiosity in the department over the unclaimed 2,052 rides, whose owners were booked for 5,677 traffic offences. These vehicles are gathering dust in front of police stations.
“One theory is that some vehicles were stolen and their users don’t want to come forward as they will be arrested. Many genuine owners may be staying away as they don’t have the money to pay fines,” a senior officer said.
Joint commissioner of police (traffic) BR Ravikanthe Gowda said the department would contact police for a review of records. “It is not clear why the owners of 2,052 vehicles have not turned up. We will coordinate with police and find out if any rides figure in the records of stolen vehicles, and take an appropriate decision soon,” Gowda said.
Only those identified as owners in official documents are allowed to apply for release of vehicles. “Some people are perhaps not applying as they don’t have proper paperwork to prove their ownership,” he said.
Authorities began releasing impounded vehicles on May 1.
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