Surat, March 14 The Gujarat Police will take strict action against those hoarding LPG cylinders and those selling them on the black market, DGP In-Charge K.L.N Rao said on Saturday.
He said that the police have been directed to take strict legal action against such offenders.
After attending a high-level crime conference in Surat district, Rao said that the police have been directed to take stringent action against anyone involved in hoarding or selling LPG cylinders on the black market.
"In a meeting with Collectors, District Supply Officers, and officials of the Civil Supplies Department, we have instructed that vehicles belonging to LPG agencies and distributors should not be obstructed so that the supply remains uninterrupted. At the same time, strict checks will be carried out to ensure that LPG cylinders are safe and free from leakage," Rao told reporters.
He said that the conference discussed serious crimes involving women and children, among other categories.
"We discussed how to stop serious crimes, including POCSO cases and crimes against women. A special focus is to detect the undetected offences," Rao said, adding that topics such as cybercrime and drug addiction in Gujarat were also discussed.
He said that a three-year action plan will be drafted to curb drug addiction.
Regarding cybercrime, the DGP noted that offenders are often located outside the jurisdiction or even outside the country, making technical expertise crucial for solving such cases.
He expressed confidence that authorities will succeed in cracking these cases.
The Centre on Wednesday advised all states and Union territories to monitor LPG supplies daily, take strict action against violators, quell rumour-mongering, and maintain law and order in the wake of public apprehensions about restricted supply of LPG cylinders in the domestic market due to the widening crisis in West Asia.
At a meeting chaired by Home Secretary Govind Mohan, it was conveyed that an LPG control order dated March 8 directed the refineries and petrochemical complexes to maximise LPG production and prioritise domestic supply for household consumers, officials had said.
Restrictions have been imposed on the distribution of LPG cylinders to commercial establishments, including hotels and restaurants.