Pune police have registered a case against three men after allegedly finding an unauthorised domestic LPG refilling operation in Mundhwa village, where gas was being transferred from filled household cylinders into empty ones for sale. Police said the activity created a risk of leakage, fire and explosion in a populated area.
The accused have been identified as Bhupendrapratap Sunder Singh, 38, Mankaram Sukhram Siyak, 39, and Mahendra Baburam Khichad, 19. According to the police, the men had arranged the refilling operation in Mundhwa for financial gain without permission from the concerned department.
The alleged process involved removing LPG from filled domestic cylinders through a pipe and transferring it into empty cylinders. Police said the operation was being conducted without the safety measures required for handling the fuel. The case has been registered against the three men following a complaint by police employee Ekta Baburao Salunke.
Police received information about the activity at around 9.30 am on October 7. A subsequent inspection found that gas was allegedly being removed from one household cylinder and filled into another without authorisation. Police said any leakage during such handling could have resulted in a fire or explosion, potentially placing residents in the surrounding area at risk.
The incident highlights the public-safety danger created when domestic LPG cylinders are handled outside authorised supply and distribution systems. In this case, the alleged operation was being carried out in Mundhwa village, where the proximity of homes and other premises increased the potential consequences of an accident, according to the police account.
Police Sub-Inspector Smita Wasnik is investigating the case. The report does not state whether the accused were arrested or specify the sections of law applied in the case. The registration of a case is not a finding of guilt, and the allegations will be subject to investigation and due legal process.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Jeevan Benival said police were monitoring reports of illegal gas refilling in the city and appealed to residents to inform the police immediately if they find unauthorised cylinder refilling. He also said a meeting of gas dealers in the city would be held and that the dealers would be given necessary instructions.
The next steps announced by the police are the investigation into the Mundhwa operation and the proposed meeting with gas dealers. Authorities have not provided a wider figure for similar cases in Pune or stated whether further inspections will be conducted in other parts of the city.
