24 LPG cylinders seized in Pilibhit village, FIR lodged

Pilibhit: District supply department seized 24 empty domestic LPG cylinders during a raid at a house in Sultanpur village under Puranpur Kotwali police station limits on Tuesday. The action followed a tip-off about illegal storage.Ankit Mishra, the tenant in the house, failed to produce valid documents or provide a satisfactory explanation for storing the cylinders and absconded from the scene. Officials suspect black marketing amid disruptions in LPG supply linked to the ongoing conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel.SDM Ajit Pratap Singh asserted that the case seemed to be associated with illicit LPG trading. Supply inspector Brajesh Mishra, who led the raid, said the cylinders belonged to Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum, and Bharat Petroleum, and are now officially under the custody of a cooking gas agency in Jograjpur.Following approval from district magistrate Gyanendra Singh, an FIR was registered against the accused at Seramau North police station under Sections 3/7 of the Essential Commodities Act. SHO Sanjay Kumar said the accused will be arrested soon.