Pune: In a significant crackdown on the illegal trade of commercial gas cylinders, Sinhagad Road police seized 72 cylinders during a raid and arrested one suspect involved in the operation. The confiscated goods, including a tempo used for transportation, are valued at ₹10.28 lakh.

The accused, identified as 31-year-old Somnath Lahu Bhojne, a resident of Wadgaon Budruk and originally from Tuljapur, was caught during a sting operation.

A case has also been registered against another individual, Vikas Dhondappa Akale, who is accused of supplying the cylinders. The Sinhagad Road police have filed charges under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

The raid was executed by a team from Sinhagad Road police station under the leadership of Senior Inspector Dilip Daigande and Sub-Inspector Santosh Bhandwalkar, with guidance from Deputy Commissioner of Police Sambhaji Kadam.

During a routine patrol, police received a tip-off about the illegal sale of commercial gas cylinders on the road leading from Wadgaon vegetable market to Ganga Bhagyodaya. Acting swiftly, the police team conducted a raid and apprehended Bhojne, who was found selling cylinders directly from a tempo.

Upon interrogation, Bhojne revealed that the cylinders were supplied to him by Vikas Akale. Investigators recovered 72 gas cylinders belonging to HP and Bharat Gas companies during the operation.

Illegal black-market trading of domestic and commercial gas cylinders has been a persistent problem in Pune. Unscrupulous traders transfer gas from domestic cylinders to commercial ones, flouting safety norms and selling them at higher prices. This raid is the latest in a series of actions taken to curb such illegal activities in the city.