Residents snatch LPG cylinders off delivery vehicle in Hyderabad as panic grows

Hyderabad: Residents were seen snatching liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders from a delivery vehicle outside a gas agency in Shaikpet on Thursday, March 26, in a sign of growing public anxiety over a rumoured shortage, even as the Telangana government maintains that there is enough gas for citizens.

A video circulating on social media shows a man attempting to walk away with a cylinder balanced on his head before being confronted by agency staff. The standoff drew a crowd of bystanders, several of whom also attempted to grab cylinders, turning the scene into a commotion.

Consumers at the spot said they had been unable to receive cylinders despite prior bookings.

No shortage, says government

The incident comes two days after the Telangana Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies Department issued a categorical assurance that LPG supplies across the state are uninterrupted. The department said the supply chain from oil refineries to local depots is fully operational and that adequate stock is available to meet daily requirements across all districts.

It attributed the long queues and “no stock” boards seen at some outlets entirely to panic buying triggered by false rumours on social media. “Artificial scarcity is created when citizens rush to fill their tanks to full capacity, despite adequate fuel available at the depots,” the department said.

It also clarified that recent administrative changes in advance-payment models by Oil Marketing Companies had caused minor, temporary logistical adjustments for some local dealers — an internal measure with no bearing on actual supply levels.

The state and central governments, in coordination with oil marketing companies and the police, are actively monitoring fuel outlets. Strict action will be taken against anyone found hoarding, black-marketing or illegally diverting domestic LPG cylinders for commercial use, the department warned, urging citizens to rely only on official communications and refrain from spreading unverified rumours.