In a late-night burglary that has raised concerns amid an ongoing shortage of commercial LPG cylinders in Ludhiana, unidentified thieves allegedly decamped with around 60 commercial gas cylinders from a gas agency in Sahnewal, causing losses estimated at over Rs 4 lakh.
Incident Details
The incident took place at an LPG agency located in Umaidpur village. Despite attempts by the burglars to disable the surveillance system, their movements were captured on CCTV cameras, providing crucial leads to investigators.
According to the complaint filed by agency owner Vishal Singla, a resident of Patiala, the suspects entered the premises during the night by scaling the boundary wall. After gaining entry, they allegedly tried to evade detection by turning one CCTV camera away from the site and tampering with another camera's wiring.
Theft of Equipment and Cylinders
The accused then allegedly broke into the office and took away electronic equipment, including a laptop, printer and internet modem. However, the biggest loss came from the storage area, where the burglars allegedly loaded 48 commercial LPG cylinders of 19 kg each and 12 cylinders of 5 kg each into a vehicle brought specifically for transporting the stolen goods.
Interestingly, while trying to destroy evidence, the suspects reportedly took away the internet modem, believing it to be the CCTV recording device. However, footage of the incident was still available and is now being examined by the police.
Context and Concerns
The theft has drawn attention because it comes at a time when many businesses in the city are already facing difficulties due to limited availability of commercial LPG cylinders.
The agency owner alleged although the incident was reported immediately after it came to light, the FIR was registered after a considerable delay. He claimed that police officials had cited election-related duties as a reason for not taking immediate action.
Police Response
Investigating officer ASI Karnail Singh said the police registered a case after completing a preliminary inquiry. An FIR has been lodged under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to house trespass and theft.
Police teams are analysing the CCTV footage and gathering technical evidence to identify the accused. Efforts are underway to trace the vehicle used in the crime and recover the stolen cylinders and other valuables.
