Over a dozen showrooms selling electric scooters were closed down in Kerala on Friday for selling modified rides with increased power and speed.
Transport Commissioner S Sreejith led the raids in Ernakulam.
Some of the scooters tested by the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) offered almost twice the power than the permitted maximum speed of 25km/hr.
Electric scooters are fitted with 250W motors that exempt its users from requiring a licence or even registration.
However, during the raids conducted by Motor Vehicle Department (MVD), several showrooms were found selling e-scooters that can go over 40km/hr.
"Such scooters are considered as bicycles and that is why it is not required to have a licence or registration. But these people have modified them to operate like normal rides and enjoy all the benefits. Some scooters were found with an upper speed of 48-50km/hr," said Sreejith IPS.