Alert consumer exposes suspected LPG racket in Dapodi; 45 cylinders seized
Dapodi, 24th September 2026: An alert woman consumer helped Dapodi police bust a suspected LPG black-marketing racket after she noticed that a newly delivered cylinder was underweight and alerted the police helpline.
Police on Tuesday seized 45 domestic and commercial LPG cylinders and a pickup vehicle worth a total Rs 4.53 lakh at Chhatrapati Shivaji Chowk. The accused, Shyamlal Bishnoi, 20, a resident of Vadgaon Shinde and originally from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, was arrested.
Dapodi resident Surekha Kamble had called 112 after suspecting that her HP domestic LPG cylinder was underweight. A 112 marshal team traced the delivery vehicle and alerted Dapodi police.
Police intercepted the pickup, bearing registration number KA 51 GA 7024. Legal Metrology inspector Aadesh Gaikwad checked the cylinders using a certified weighing scale and found 35 of the 45 cylinders to be 2-4kg short.
Police suspect that gas was being siphoned from domestic cylinders during delivery and illegally sold, while customers were supplied cylinders presented as full-weight. The probe is also looking into the involvement of delivery workers linked to an HP gas agency in Dapodi.
The seized property includes the pickup vehicle worth Rs 3 lakh and 45 LPG cylinders valued at Rs 1.53 lakh.
The action was carried out by PSI Rahul Patil and police personnel D V Borade under the guidance of senior inspector Gorakh Kumbhar and inspector S M Nikam.
“Consumers, particularly women, should remain alert while accepting LPG cylinders. If the seal appears tampered with or the cylinder seems underweight, they should immediately contact the police or call 112,” Kumbhar said.
Gaikwad said 35 cylinders were found to be 2-4kg short and the inspection report had been submitted to the Dapodi police.
