A 66-year-old man in Punjab died of a cardiac arrest while standing in line to collect an LPG cylinder, underscoring the distress and frustration many consumers are experiencing amid the ongoing fuel crisis, even as authorities continue to deny any widespread shortage. The incident is reported to be the first death in the state linked to the crisis since the situation began escalating.
LPG crisis: Death in queue, hoarding raids, and long waiting times
The deceased, identified as Bhushan Kumar, had arrived early in the morning to secure a refill. He was reportedly the 25th person in a queue of about 125 customers and had been waiting since 5 am. Around 7:50 am, he suddenly collapsed. He was rushed to a hospital but died on the way.
Meanwhile, large-scale hoarding of LPG cylinders across several states has further aggravated the crisis, which has been partly attributed to the ongoing tensions in West Asia.
According to PTI reports, the Food and Civil Supplies Department in Uttar Pradesh carried out raids at 1,483 locations across the state as part of a crackdown on black marketing of LPG cylinders. Six people were arrested during the operation.
Authorities have also reported major seizures in Chhattisgarh, where 741 cylinders were confiscated from 102 locations. The highest number of seizures was recorded in Raipur district with 392 domestic LPG cylinders recovered, followed by Bilaspur district where 130 cylinders were seized.
In another case in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, police recovered 524 stolen LPG cylinders valued at over Rs 17 lakh. In Hapur, authorities conducted a raid at the residence of a local leader from the Samajwadi Party, Abdul Rehman, where 55 filled LPG cylinders were reportedly recovered.
Amid these developments, social media platforms have been flooded with complaints from users about delays in LPG supply and long waiting periods for refills.
One X user questioned the situation, writing:
“If LPG production is at full capacity and supply is stable, why are people in remote villages still waiting 45 days for a refill? The gap between ‘full forge’ production and actual delivery needs to close. Rural families deserve better.”
Another user posted:
“Family facing cooking difficulty as cylinder finished on 13 Mar. Kindly resolve urgently.”
A third user wrote:
“Refill was booked on March 03, 2026 at10:47 AM (IST), and today it is March 14, 2026. The refill has still not been delivered. #LPG.”
LPG crisis: What measures is the government taking?
Despite the concerns, the government has maintained that there is no major shortage of LPG. However, authorities have invoked the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to regulate natural gas supplies and curb hoarding activities.
To address the situation, refineries have been instructed to maximise LPG output, which has reportedly led to a 30 percent increase in domestic production. The public has also been encouraged to temporarily switch to alternative fuels such as coal, kerosene, or piped natural gas (PNG) where available.
Officials said LPG supplies are being prioritised for households as well as essential services including hospitals and educational institutions. The government is also exploring additional import sources, including the United States, Norway, Canada and Russia.
In addition, two India-flagged LPG tankers belonging to Shipping Corporation of India — Shivalik and Nanda Devi — have crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are currently heading towards India. Their movement is expected to help secure safe passage for more than two dozen Indian-flagged vessels stranded in the region due to the crisis.
The tanker Shivalik alone is reported to be carrying about 40,000 metric tonnes of LPG.
Meanwhile, Bharat Petroleum said it remains committed to ensuring uninterrupted LPG availability. The company stated that its distributor network is operating continuously to support domestic cooking gas supplies as well as essential sectors across the country.
