Indian police have seized 414 cooking gas canisters hidden in a graveyard in Hyderabad and arrested those accused of trying to sell them, as the country grapples with a severe shortage of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
The discovery comes amid shipping disruptions stemming from the ongoing Middle East crisis, which have exacerbated fuel shortages across India. Authorities have intensified raids to combat hoarding of LPG cylinders.
Sujata Sharma, a senior official at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said at a briefing: “Just yesterday, around 2,600 raids were carried out and about 700 cylinders were seized. In addition, around 400 cylinders were recently found at one location inside a graveyard in Hyderabad. Ten people have been detained there, and the distributor involved has been suspended.”
India uses over 31 million tonnes of LPG annually and meets about 60 per cent of its demand through overseas purchases, mostly from the Middle East. Authorities are responding by assessing reserves, seeking alternative supply sources, encouraging conservation, and attempting to contain price rises. However, these measures have consequences: attempts to cut energy use are affecting economic activity, while prioritising LPG for household cooking is putting commercial users like eateries and small businesses under operational strain.
At LPG distribution outlets across Hyderabad, long queues and early closures have left many empty-handed. Meghraj Singh, a 26-year-old LPG agency worker, said: “Customers are worked up and tense. Some of them are even fighting with us. From 9am to 3pm, the queues are really long. Some people are actually crying.”
In parliament, opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge said the shortage was affecting “the poor, middle class, restaurants, hostels and commercial users” and questioned the government’s preparedness. Government representatives have disputed claims of a widespread shortage, with petroleum minister Hardeep Singh Puri attributing disruptions to panic booking and hoarding, urging consumers not to panic.
