Gas Agency Owner Among 7 Held In Jhansi For Stealing, Diverting 524 Domestic LPG Cylinders To Black Market

Last Updated:March 12, 2026, 11:12 IST

A truck loaded with BPCL cylinders meant for household supply was stolen near the plant. Police recovered the consignment worth Rs 18 lakh and arrest the accused

In a major crackdown, Jhansi police have arrested seven people — including two former truck drivers, a gas agency owner and his staff — for allegedly stealing a truck carrying 524 LPG cylinders and diverting part of the consignment to the black market.

According to police, the truck was attached to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and had been loaded with LPG cylinders from the company’s plant in Karari in Jhansi district. The consignment was meant to be transported to Gajner in Kanpur Dehat for distribution to domestic consumers.

Senior Superintendent of Police BBGTS Murthy said the truck was loaded with 524 cylinders on March 2. Due to the Holi festival, the driver parked the vehicle outside the plant and went home.

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On the night of March 5, the truck was stolen. The vehicle was later found abandoned near Paricha, but all the LPG cylinders had been removed. The truck owner, Neeraj Agarwal, informed police that the value of the stolen cylinders was nearly Rs 18 lakh.

Following his complaint, a case of theft was registered at Sipri Bazar police station against unknown persons. Police teams were immediately formed to trace the accused and recover the cylinders.

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During the investigation, police scanned CCTV footage and conducted field inquiries in nearby areas. The probe soon revealed that two former drivers of the truck were allegedly involved in the theft. The accused were identified as Javed (26), Amir (35), Ritik (24) and Sumit Ahirwar (22).

Acting on a tip-off, teams from Sipri Bazar police station, the Special Operations Group (SOG) and the surveillance unit surrounded the suspects near Premnagar on Wednesday. According to police officials, the accused opened fire on the police team while attempting to escape.

Police retaliated and arrested the four accused. During questioning, they allegedly revealed that the stolen LPG cylinders had been sold to a gas agency in Samthar.

Based on the information, police raided the agency and arrested its owner Shubhankar Parihar along with employees Abhishek Kushwaha and Surendra. With these arrests, the total number of accused held in the case rose to seven.

During the operation, police recovered all 524 LPG cylinders — including 389 filled cylinders and 135 empty ones. Investigators also found that 135 cylinders had already been sold in the black market.

Police recovered Rs 11.93 lakh in cash, including Rs 83,820 believed to be proceeds from the sale of the cylinders. Another Rs 11.10 lakh was recovered from the house of the main accused, Javed. A motorcycle, a country-made pistol and cartridges were also seized during the operation.

The investigation revealed that Javed and Ritik had previously worked as drivers for the truck owner but were removed from their jobs. The two accused allegedly claimed that around Rs 70,000 in wages was pending and that their employer had not cleared the dues despite repeated requests.

Angered over the dispute, they allegedly hatched a plan to steal the cylinders and sell them illegally. They later roped in Sumit Ahirwar and contacted Amir, the accountant of the gas agency.

According to police, the accused agreed to sell the entire consignment to the agency for Rs 13 lakh. Ritik drove the truck while Javed and Sumit rode ahead on a motorcycle to guide the route.

When they reached Chirgaon, the other accused met them and escorted the truck to the gas agency in Samthar, where the cylinders were unloaded. The empty truck was later abandoned near Paricha to mislead investigators.

The case has also raised concerns about illegal diversion of LPG cylinders at a time when several districts in Uttar Pradesh are witnessing delays in cylinder deliveries and supply gaps.

Police officials say such shortages often create opportunities for black marketing, with cylinders sold at inflated prices to commercial establishments or consumers facing urgent demand.

Authorities are now investigating whether the accused were part of a larger network involved in diverting LPG cylinders meant for domestic use.

SSP Murthy announced a Rs 25,000 reward for the police team that cracked the case, calling it a significant breakthrough in curbing LPG theft and black marketing in the region.

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