What began as a complaint about a fancy number plate near Panjagutta signal in Hyderabad turned into an online joke at the traffic police's expense, after the department's own first reply became the centre of attention.
The complaint: a stylised plate near Panjagutta
An X user shared a photograph of an electric vehicle spotted near Panjagutta signal in Hyderabad at 4:14 pm on October 24, 2026. The registration plate featured lettering rendered in a stylised manner that appeared to spell out a name, with the characters difficult to distinguish at a glance. The user tagged Hyderabad Police and the Regional Transport Authority, asking where they could get a similar plate.
The reply that puzzled social media
Hyderabad Traffic Police responded to the post, but its first reply took an unexpected turn. "Sir, the violation is not clearly visible, as the image has been captured from the rear side. Kindly share a clear image of the vehicle from the front, so that necessary action can be taken," the department wrote. The request left social media users puzzled, since the questionable lettering was visible in the photograph itself, prompting some to wonder why the police needed another angle to identify the problem.
Deleted reply, revised response
The department realised the gaffe and subsequently deleted its original response and posted a revised message acknowledging the violation. "Thank you for flagging this, Sir. The non-standard lettering on the number plate is clearly visible, and the rules apply equally to front and rear plates," the police said. It added that the vehicle details had been verified and action was being initiated under the Motor Vehicles Act.
Only standard HSRP plates permitted
The department also reiterated that only standard High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP) are permitted. By then, however, the initial response had already become fodder for online humour, with users joking that the police needed an eye check-up to spot what was visible in the photograph. While the police eventually confirmed that action was being taken, it was their deleted reply, rather than the questionable number plate itself, that became the centre of attention online.
