In an unprecedented initiative, the Visakhapatnam City Police Commissionerate organized a special ‘Vehicle Mela’ to return motor vehicles seized in various cases to their rightful owners in an innovative and hassle-free manner.

Over the years, vehicles seized by the police in criminal and traffic-related cases often remain unclaimed due to various legal or procedural hurdles faced by the owners. As a result, many vehicles become unusable over time, losing their value and turning into scrap. To address this issue, the city police have launched a novel Vehicle Mela to hand over such vehicles without any financial burden on the owners.

 

This initiative is being conducted following the procedures outlined by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. To ensure smooth implementation, the police obtained address details of vehicle owners from RTO records and police station files, and a special task force was formed to trace and contact the owners.

The first Vehicle Mela was held on February 19, 2025, during which 152 vehicles were returned to their owners. The overwhelming joy expressed by the beneficiaries inspired the city police to organize a second mela, which is being conducted today.

In this second edition of the mela, the police are handing over 320 vehicles, which include:

• 272 vehicles seized by the Traffic Department

• 37 vehicles seized by the Crime Department

• 11 vehicles seized by the Law & Order Department

These vehicles are being formally handed over to their respective owners by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Shankha Brata Bagchi, IPS. With today’s mela, a total of 472 citizens have benefited from this unique and citizen-friendly initiative.

 

This vehicle distribution drive reflects the proactive approach of the Visakhapatnam City Police in supporting public welfare while also ensuring transparency and efficiency in the management of seized assets.