At least ten people were arrested in the operation and 414 gas cylinders, two DCM lorries, two Bolero vehicles and three auto rickshaws were seized. Investigators found that the syndicate was selling gas to hotels and restaurants at inflated prices.
Gas cylinders sold at Rs 6,000 to hotels, restaurants:
Speaking to Tv9 Telugu, Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath, DCP Task Force said, “They had stored the gas cylinders within a crematorium located in Panjagutta.”
The DCP further said the gang sold the gas cylinders to hotels and restaurants at exorbitant prices.
“We have arrested the prime accused, Mohammed Ameer, along with nine other individuals. The dealer, Mohammed Ameer, was selling each cylinder for Rs 6,000. They created rumors claiming there was a shortage of gas due to the prevailing situation in Iran. We kept them under surveillance after observing the rumors they were circulating.”
The task force has seized 414 gas cylinders out of which 30 were 47-kg HP gas cylinders, 148 full 19-kg HP gas cylinders, 192 empty 19-kg cylinders, 35 full 5-kg cylinders, 9 empty 5-kg cylinders and 11 vehicles.
The police said that they would take strict action against those selling gas cylinders on the black market.
The Union Government of India is moving to cushion key industries from the gas supply disruption by boosting LPG allocations by 20 percent.
Black marketing of cylinders in AP:
In Ongole district of the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, consumers staged a protest in front of the Poornima Indane Gas agency and alleged that the gas agencies are deceiving customers by displaying “No Stock” boards.
Consumers complained that despite booking their gas cylinders a month ago, they have yet to receive their supply. People are enduring long waits in hopes of securing a cylinder.
Govt schools forced to discontinue breakfast:
In other parts of AP, delays in delivery of cylinders forced government schools to discontinue breakfast to students. Some semi-residential schools in the state, which serve breakfast and lunch at school, changed timing and asked the students to have breakfast at home.