Police impose fine, order removal after viral social-media stunt
Gwalior traffic police have imposed a fine of ₹5,500 on a local car owner after his vehicle, reportedly covered with 3,400 lipstick marks, was filmed moving on city streets and the video went viral. Authorities said the decoration amounted to an unauthorised modification of the vehicle and ordered the marks removed.
Traffic Police Inspector Abhishek Raghuvanshi said the clip showing the heavily marked car being driven in the City Centre area circulated on social media for two days before police located the vehicle to the Thatipur area. The driver was taken to the police station and issued a challan under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, the inspector told reporters.
"Two days ago, a video went viral on social media showing a car with lipstick-like marks on its body moving in the City Centre area," Inspector Raghuvanshi said.
The car owner, identified as Aditya Sikarwar, told reporters that his partner had applied the marks as a "foreign trend" — spending about three and a half hours to create the designs — and later uploaded the video online. He said he was unaware the act would be treated as illegal; after the police action he cleaned the vehicle and paid the fine.
"Since I wasn’t aware that doing so was illegal, after the police action, I cleaned the entire car body to remove the lipstick marks and paid a fine of ₹5,500. One should never do anything that violates the law," Sikarwar said.
Enforcement focus on vehicle modifications and public safety
Officials framed the action as enforcement against unauthorised vehicle modification rather than punishment for the stunt itself. The police ordered removal of the lipstick marks so the vehicle conformed with regulations. The episode underlines civic concerns when social-media content spills into public road use.
Local reporting noted that other common infractions that attract attention from traffic authorities include tinted glass, loud silencers and unauthorised decals or stickers. The police said modifications that alter a vehicle’s appearance or obstruct identification are liable for penal action under the Motor Vehicles Act.
- Fine imposed: ₹5,500
- Marks applied: 3,400 lipstick kisses
- Area where video circulated: City Centre
- Vehicle traced to: Thatipur
Local context and implications
The incident has drawn attention across social platforms and in local media, and a national outlet highlighted political commentary that followed the viral clip. For city motorists, the episode is a reminder that decorative changes to vehicles may carry legal consequences when the modifications breach motor vehicle rules or affect road safety.
Traffic authorities in Gwalior have in recent years stepped up enforcement of registration, fitness, and modification rules to improve road safety and ensure vehicles remain identifiable for regulatory purposes. While the lipstick-mark stunt appears to have been non-hazardous, the police response emphasised compliance with statutory norms governing vehicle appearance and equipment.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Penalty | ₹5,500 fine under Motor Vehicles Act |
| Action ordered | Removal of lipstick marks; vehicle cleaned by owner |
| Location | City Centre; vehicle traced to Thatipur |
City residents and motorists are advised to familiarise themselves with rules on vehicle modifications and avoid alterations that could attract penalties. For social-media stunts that involve use of public roads, organisers should be mindful of legal limits and potential safety implications.
The case remains a cautionary example of how pastime content created for online audiences can lead to administrative action when it intersects with public-regulatory frameworks.
