Over 390 LPG cylinders seized from godown in Sambhajinagar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: At least 396 LPG cylinders, including 167 commercial ones,of different oil marketing companies, were seized from agodown inWaluj area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Wednesday evening.Authorities said it is the first of its kind seizure of LPG cylinders of different oil firms hoarded at a single place in bulk across the state. "Illegally hoarded LPG cylinders of as many as five oil marketing companies have been found hoarded illegally at agodownin Sector C of Waluj. The owner of the warehouse is one of the LPG distributors. We suspect that LPG distributors concerned were acting in a syndicate to carry outblack marketing of cylinders during the current LPG crisis," supply inspector of Gangapur tehsil Meenal Pawar-Kulkarni said on Thursday. Thegodownconcerned was registered for pharmacy-related business and was exposed when MIDC authorities were surveyingnon-functional units, authorities said. The MIDC Waluj Police have registered an offence against three people under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, with the main accused said to be running multiple LPG distributing companies.64 cylinders seizedIn another action, illegal refilling of commercial LPG cylinders using domestic cylinders was exposed in Shahnoorwadi area on Wednesday. Jawahar Nagar police have seized a total of 64 cylinders, including 40 commercial ones, during the raid along with a weighing machine and items worth Rs1.5 lakh.An offence has been registered against a 52-year-old accused under the BNS Section 288 (negligent conduct involving explosive substances that endangers human life or causes injury) and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.