It first appeared as a road accident, which raised the horrific ratio as one of the vehicles involved was a large truck-tanker that carried liquided petroleum gas (LPG). Seven people, including the driver of the mega-shaped tanker, died, a pick-up vehicle crashed into a tanker in Mandiala on the Hoshiarpur-Jamandhar highway in Punjab.
But where did the tanker go, and why? Police investigation has now revealed that the center of the incident has a Cyphanting Network.
Hoshiarpur District Police Chief Sandeep Kumar Malik told reporters that the tanker driver Ram Nagar Dheha’s Sukhchen Singh, aka drought was going to the house of a person named aka drought, running an LPG siphoning racket with several tanker drivers.
Sukhjit Singh, driver of Pandar Kheri village of Khanna, died on the spot, as another person was injured, while 21 were injured. Death toll has been seven since.
How LPG Cypaning Racket worked
Police arrested Sukhchen Singh, the alleged mastermind of the LPG stolen racket, and seized a pipe from 10 cylinders and his cattle shed where he performed his operation.
Three others – Avtar Singh alias Mati of Hoshiarpur, and brothers Ramesh Kumar and Raj Kumar of Jalandhar were arrested, and a warehouse connected to him near Mandiala found 40 cylinders, nine empty oil drums and pipes. According to the police, Avtar Singh has many again against him since 1999.
Investigators said that they will cypon four to five cylinders worth liquidized gas from each tanker, and sell them. 1,200–1,300 appellate after paying drivers 1,000 per cylinder, police said.
A case has been registered under the provisions of the Indian Judge, Essential Commodities Act, and LPG Supply and Control Order.
More compensation promised for victims
Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered, and the report should be within 15 days. Officials said that a vigilance committee would also be set up to investigate LPG cyphering.
After the incident, to regulate the parking of heavy vehicles carrying dangerous materials, the administration has also formed vehicle regulation committees at the sub-division level, DC said.
Meanwhile, several residents of Mandiala village staged a two-hour dharna, blocking Hoshiarpur-Janger Road for high compensation for the victims.
He told that the families of the victims were given in a hutch tragedy in Amritsar. 10 lakhs each, while the families of the Mandiala fire victims were introduced early 2 lakhs.
A resident Harminder Singh said, “Innocent people lost their lives here, yet their families are being misbehaved.
Minister Ravjot Singh later reached the protest site and assured him For the families of those who died for 10 lakhs who died, and 5 lakhs for injured people. He also promised compensation for property loss.
