Pune: In a crackdown on illegal gas cylinder refilling operations, Unit Four of the Pune Crime Branch raided a storage site and seized a large number of illegally stored gas cylinders in Lohegaon.

The accused, Suresh Mohanlal Bishnoi, was allegedly transferring gas from subsidized cylinders to commercial cylinders and reselling it at inflated prices. He has been charged following the raid, with Police Constable Ajay Gaikwad filing the official complaint.

The Crime Branch received a tip-off that an individual was illegally storing and reselling gas cylinders in a makeshift shed near the Aai-Mata Temple on Air Force Road in Lohegaon.

Acting on this information, police conducted a surprise raid, finding Bishnoi at the location. He was discovered transferring gas from subsidized cylinders to commercial cylinders to sell at a profit, violating safety and regulatory protocols.

The team, led by Police Sub-Inspector Vaibhav Magdum, seized a collection of both subsidized and commercial gas cylinders on-site.

This raid is part of a broader effort by the Pune Crime Branch to address illegal gas refilling and storage, as similar operations in the city have previously led to fires and other safety hazards.

Recently on October 9, a gas cylinder explosion at Siddhivinayak Hotel in Chikhali injured four people after an attempt was made to change the cylinder regulator while the gas was still in operation.

On August 20, a major fire had broke out at the Indraprastha Housing Society in Kiwale, resulting in the complete destruction of four shops. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. The fire department was alerted by Ritesh Khandelwal, who noticed the blaze.