The illegal LPG trade in Shimla is expanding at an alarming pace, with yet another major seizure made within just 15 days. On Sunday, the district administration intercepted a truck near Bhattakufar carrying 190 gas cylinders, exposing the growing network of black marketing in the state capital.
Acting on secret information, a team led by ADM Law and Order Pankaj Sharma stopped truck number UP 80 FT 3282. The inspection revealed 60 filled LPG cylinders, each weighing 21 kilograms, along with 130 empty ones. The consignment had been brought from Mohali, Punjab, and was linked to Confidence Petroleum Limited India Company.
Preliminary inquiries showed that the delivery was meant for agencies operating in Shoghi, Tutu, Sanjauli, and Kufri. The driver admitted that 40 filled cylinders had already been delivered in Shoghi, with similar supplies made in Tutu and Sanjauli. The remaining 60 filled cylinders were meant for Kufri but were seized before distribution. Officials confirmed that no valid documents or exclusive agency certificates were provided at the spot.
The raid team included DSP Sandeep Sharma, District Controller Food and Civil Supplies, Inspector Sunil Verma, and police personnel. District Magistrate Anupam Kashyap said strict action is underway and more agencies may face investigation. “The seized cylinders were being supplied in the city through four agencies without proper authorisation. The documentation was incomplete, and the bills did not carry valid certification,” he said.
This latest seizure comes just weeks after the administration recovered 361 illegal cylinders from a gas agency office near Shanan on August 26. That case is still under investigation. Two back-to-back recoveries have now raised concerns about the scale of the racket, suggesting that the illegal LPG trade in Shimla is not only widespread but also deeply entrenched.
