Kerala student revamps old Honda City into fire-spitting ‘banger’, fined Rs 1 lakh

Kerala student fined Rs 1 lakh for revamping old car. (Image: @blrcitytraffic/X)

What started as an attempt at a dramatic New Year entrance for social media fame quickly became an expensive lesson in road safety and traffic law for a young engineering student from Kerala.

Reportedly, the Kannur-based student bought an old car for around Rs 70,000 and turned it into a roaring, flame-spitting spectacle, only to be hit with a fine of more than Rs 1.1 lakh when he drove it into Bengaluru.

As reported by The Times of India, the student purchased a 2002 Honda City sedan, a simple, older model car, for roughly Rs 70,000. He then spent time and effort changing almost every aspect of its appearance and performance. The body was repainted in a flashy colour, and the exterior was covered in spray-painted graffiti, including the word “Banger” scrawled on the side. More importantly, he made multiple unauthorised mechanical changes.

While some bystanders might have initially been amused or impressed by the spectacle, the situation soon drew serious concern. The modified car was louder than usual and emitted flames at unpredictable moments, unsettling other road users and residents. This prompted multiple complaints to the authorities.

Bengaluru Traffic Police quickly took notice, particularly because the videos on social media showed the vehicle in action along busy city roads. Acting on these reports, officers located the car near Bhartiya City in north-east Bengaluru.

One officer told TOI, “We located it at Bharatiya City, northeast Bengaluru. We found that apart from loud noise, flames were shooting out of the exhaust, which posed a serious risk. The car had undergone major illegal modifications. These violations attract heavy penalties, which only the RTO is authorised to do.”

The officer also explained, “For the sake of social media reels, he spent more on fines than on buying the car.” The Bengaluru Traffic Police also took to social media to warn others against similar behaviour. In a tweet, the department stated, “Fire from the exhaust? Expect the cost. Public roads aren’t stunt posts.”

Translated parts of the post added, “Public roads are not the place to perform stunts. It is illegal to modify your vehicle's exhaust to create sparks or fire. Remember, you will have to pay a price for your stunts.”

The police even shared clips showing flames pouring from the car’s exhaust and a formal notice from the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to the police detailing the violations. A video also circulated showing the student paying off the challan amount of Rs 111,500, before the clip ends with an officer standing beside the car.

Fire from the exhaust? Expect the cost. Public roads aren’t stunt posts.ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ರಸ್ತೆಗಳು ಸ್ಟಂಟ್ ಮಾಡುವ ಜಾಗವಲ್ಲ. ನಿಮ್ಮ ವಾಹನದ ಎಕ್ಸಾಸ್ಟ್ (Exhaust) ಮಾರ್ಪಡಿಸಿ ಕಿಡಿ ಅಥವಾ ಬೆಂಕಿ ಹೊರಬರುವಂತೆ ಮಾಡುವುದು ಕಾನೂನುಬಾಹಿರ. ನಿಮ್ಮ ಸಾಹಸಕ್ಕೆ ತಕ್ಕ ಬೆಲೆ ತೆರಬೇಕಾಗುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂಬುದು ನೆನಪಿರಲಿ.#NoStunts… pic.twitter.com/c6cJOShJaW

— ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಸಂಚಾರ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ BengaluruTrafficPolice (@blrcitytraffic) January 15, 2026

Netizens praised the traffic police for their swift action. One user wrote, “Good job! Practically everything visible on this car is illegal.” Another bluntly summed it up, “Car value is 70k and fine is 1.1 lakhs.”