Gas Cylinder Black Marketing: ₹918 Cylinder Sold for ₹2,500, Agency Employee Held in Bhopal

Food department seizes 68 cylinders in single-day raids; four-day LPG stock available, says minister

Bhopal Black Market Busted

Bhopal's food supply department cracked down on rampant gas cylinder black marketing on Saturday, seizing 68 domestic and commercial LPG cylinders across the city in coordinated raids. The day-long operation exposed a network where a subsidised domestic cylinder priced at ₹918 was being resold for ₹2,500 — nearly three times its official rate.

Agency Employee Caught Red-Handed

Acting on specific intelligence, officials laid a decoy trap and arrested Salman, an employee of Rishabh Indane Gas Agency, along with his associate Shalig Qureshi, a resident of Barkhedi. Salman arrived on a scooter carrying a cylinder and accepted ₹2,500 from the decoy buyer before being apprehended. According to officials, Salman had been buying cylinders from consumers standing in booking queues by paying an extra ₹500, then reselling them at inflated prices.

Mobile Reveals Scale of Racket

Assistant Supply Officer Ashok Satyarthi stated that Shalig's mobile phone revealed the full extent of the operation. Records showed two cylinders had been sold for ₹5,000 in a single transaction. Commercial cylinders were being offered at ₹3,500, while domestic ones fetched ₹2,500 — all arranged via phone deals struck throughout the day.

Ideal HP Agency Under Scanner

One of the seized cylinders was traced back to Ideal HP Gas Agency. The accused claimed it had been purchased from a consumer, but food department officials indicated the agency operator's role remained suspect. The matter is under further scrutiny.

Seven Cylinders Seized Near Peepal Chauraha

District Supply Controller Chandrabhan Singh Jadon confirmed that seven Indane cylinders — five empty, two full — were seized from Suyash and Samit Jain near Peepal Chauraha. Officials received information suggesting gas was being illegally transferred into smaller cylinders at the location, a practice that poses significant safety hazards.

Demand Outpacing Supply at Agencies

Crowds have been building at Rai, Saini, Mamta, and Happy Gas agencies across Bhopal. These outlets are recording between 1,000 and 1,500 daily bookings, while available stock stands at only 300 to 400 cylinders per agency. Officials attributed the surge to panic booking triggered by misinformation, not any actual shortage. Combined LPG stock across Indane, Bharat, and Hindustan Gas depots in the district stands at 2,183 tonnes, with a daily supply capacity of 450 tonnes — enough for four days. However, panic-driven demand has pushed requirements to 1,300 tonnes per day.

State Has Adequate LPG Stock: Rajput

Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Minister Govind Singh Rajput assured residents that Madhya Pradesh faces no fuel crisis. Refineries are operating at full capacity, crude oil supply is uninterrupted, and bottling plants are running extended hours to meet demand. As per reports, inspections at 2,050 locations have so far resulted in the seizure of 2,912 cylinders and registration of nine FIRs across the state. The PNG connection process has also been expedited to reduce long-term dependence on cylinders. The minister urged citizens to avoid acting on rumours and not to panic-book, which is the primary driver of the current supply strain. The gas cylinder black marketing network in Bhopal is expected to face further legal action as investigations continue.