Mys cops seize, crush-mute 378 modified silencers

Mysuru: Mysuru City traffic police seized 378 altered and defective silencers that caused noise pollution and caused trouble to fellow road users, especially senior citizens, during a special enforcement drive conducted across key traffic corridors and residential pockets since Dec 2025.The altered silencers were removed from the bikes and destroyed on Monday. Riders using them were fined and warned that stricter action would follow if they repeated the offence.
ACP (Traffic) M Shivashankar informed TOI that there were complaints that some bikers altered their bike silencers and caused a nuisance on the road. Senior citizens were particularly bothered by high-decibel noise. This led the city police to hold a special drive since Dec and identify those bikes causing noise pollution.Residents complained about excessive noise, late-night racing, and disturbance near hospitals, schools, and crowded marketplaces.Teams from the traffic division and local police units set up checkpoints, stopped suspected vehicles, and inspected exhaust systems for illegal modifications. Police said they found cut pipes, aftermarket "free-flow" units, and tampered baffles designed to amplify sound and give riders a ‘kick' during the ride. The drive targeted vehicles generating abnormally loud noise and violating motor vehicle rules related to emission and noise standards.Riders were issued challans under the IMV Act, and in several cases, vehicles were detained until compliant silencers were fitted.Police said the seized silencers were legally destroyed and disposed of on Tuesday. The modified silencers will be crushed and rendered unusable. Police said the measure is intended to send a clear message that illegal modifications will not be tolerated, and that repeat offenders will face stricter action.