Delhi Police busted multiple illegal LPG storage and refilling units across the city, seizing 269 cylinders and arresting six persons amid an ongoing LPG crisis
Representational image. File pic
Amid the ongoing LPG crisis across the country, the Delhi Police on Wednesday busted multiple illegal LPG storage and refilling units across the city. As reported by news agency PTI, the Delhi police officials seized a total of 269 cylinders and apprehended six persons in separate operations, an official said.
In South Delhi's Rajpur Khurd area, police unearthed an illegal LPG storage unit, arresting two persons and seizing 223 cylinders from the premises.
The accused who have been taken into custody are identified as Hitesh Rathi (38) and Arvind Kumar (40). As per the officials, both of them were allegedly operating the facility without a valid licence or authorisation.
223 LPG Indane cylinders recovered
The officials further said, “Police raided a plot in Rajpur Khurd village on Tuesday and recovered 223 Indane LPG cylinders, including 16 filled and 45 empty domestic cylinders and 162 empty commercial cylinders,” as per PTI.
Along with the cylinders, an electronic weighing machine and eight safety caps were also seized by the officials.
Police said that the stockpiling of such a large number of cylinders without safety measures posed a serious risk to nearby residents.
The police officials, while further briefing about the seizures and raids, said, 'The accused failed to produce valid documents for storing the cylinders.' Officials from the food and supplies department and Indane Gas verified the seizure, as per PTI.
LPG storage and refilling units are busted in the Khyala area
In a separate operation, police busted three illegal LPG storage and refilling units in the Khyala area and apprehended four persons, recovering 46 cylinders. The accused have been identified as Shivmurat Singh (40), Raghuraj (26), Arvind Singh (27) and Ompal (37); police said.
A total of 46 cylinders, including 20 of Indane Gas and 26 of Bharat Gas, were seized from the rented premises and temporary sheds. Weighing machines and illegal refilling equipment were also recovered, officials said.
The police said, “During interrogation, the accused revealed that they procured LPG cylinders using fake identities and stored them in congested areas to avoid detection. They allegedly extracted gas from filled cylinders and refilled empty ones to create additional cylinders for sale in the black market at inflated prices of up to Rs 3,000 per cylinder, as per PTI.
Police suspect the possible involvement of gas agency personnel, as the accused claimed to have sourced cylinders from local agencies. The role of these agencies is being examined.
Separate cases have been registered under the Essential Commodities Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigation is underway.
(With inputs from PTI)
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