Residential premises used for cylinder handling
RAJKOT: A Gujarat State Monitoring Cell (SMC) operation at a house near Ahir Chowk has exposed an alleged illegal LPG cylinder storage and refilling activity being run from a residential property. The action, conducted within the limits of Bhaktinagar police station, resulted in the seizure of more than 200 filled and empty cylinders, along with equipment used for weighing and transferring gas.
The raid followed specific intelligence about the alleged hoarding and unauthorised refilling of cylinders. SMC personnel reached the premises and carried out the operation, taking four suspects into custody from the spot. The recovery indicates that the property was being used not merely for storage, but also for handling gas between cylinders through mechanical equipment.
Equipment seized and evidence secured
Officials recovered heavy weighing scales and electric transfer motors from the house. According to the reported details, the motors were allegedly used to siphon gas from one cylinder to another, while the weighing machines could have helped measure the contents during the refilling process. The cylinders and equipment were subsequently moved to the Bhaktinagar police station, where they are being kept as evidence.
| Item | Reported recovery |
|---|---|
| Gas cylinders | More than 200, filled and empty |
| Other equipment | Heavy weighing scales and electric transfer motors |
| People detained | Four suspects |
| Police station handling the evidence | Bhaktinagar police station |
The operation has particular significance because the premises were located in a residential neighbourhood rather than an identified commercial gas-handling facility. A large cylinder stock and gas-transfer machinery inside such a setting can increase the consequences of any mishandling, leakage or ignition. The reported presence of filled cylinders also makes the case relevant to nearby households and businesses, although the investigation will determine the exact nature of the risks and the alleged violations.
Questions over local oversight
The SMC action also brought the functioning of local oversight into focus. The reported raid was carried out independently by the state monitoring team, and the local Bhaktinagar police and civil supplies department were not aware of the operation until it was under way. The development raises questions about how a substantial number of cylinders could be accumulated and handled at a house without attracting earlier attention from agencies responsible for policing and supply controls.
- Location: A residential property near Ahir Chowk, Rajkot.
- Action: Raid by the Gujarat State Monitoring Cell.
- Seizure: More than 200 filled and empty gas cylinders, weighing scales and electric motors.
- Detentions: Four suspects taken into custody at the premises.
Supply chain probe underway
Following the seizure, investigators are examining how the cylinders were procured, brought to the property and stored in such quantity. The next stage of the inquiry is expected to focus on the source of the stock, the intended recipients and the possible network connected with the alleged refilling activity. The authorities are also required to establish the individual roles of the four suspects detained during the raid.
The seized material remains with the Bhaktinagar police as the investigation continues. The case places both illegal hoarding and unauthorised gas transfer under scrutiny, while the recovery from a populated Rajkot locality highlights the need for coordinated checks by the police, the civil supplies machinery and specialised monitoring teams. Further action will depend on the evidence gathered from the cylinders, equipment and records linked to the premises.
