Kochi: A stolen scooter was seized from a woman during an inspection by motor vehicles department (MVD) officials in Kochi. The incident occurred on Friday evening during vehicle checking in Kakkanad–Kalamassery area.
A team comprising MVD inspector P Shiju and assistant MVD inspector N B Vishnu Prasad was conducting a vehicle checking. During the inspection, it was found that a woman was riding a scooter without wearing a helmet and a child, who appeared to be around 17 years old, was the pillion rider.
Though the officials tried to intercept the scooter, the woman rode away without stopping, leading to the officials chasing her for around 5km. MVD had to chase her carefully to ensure that the woman and child did not meet with any accident in the effort to flee.
When stopped and questioned, the woman claimed the vehicle belonged to a friend. However, when the registered owner of the vehicle was contacted over the phone, it was found that the vehicle bearing the registration number was in Adimali and belonged to another person. It was then understood that the vehicle’s number was fake.
A subsequent inspection revealed the vehicle’s actual registration number, and the MVD officials contacted the owner of the vehicle. Then, it was learnt that the vehicle was stolen from Ernakulam Convent Junction on Feb 22.
A case was registered at Ernakulam Central police station. The vehicle was handed over to Kalamassery police, MVD officials said. The MVD will continue the vehicle inspections so as to book offenders and bring down the number of accidents, the officials informed.