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  "path": "/news/1987840/graveyard-raid-in-india-uncovers-hidden-cooking-gas-canisters-amid-shortage",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-02T12:34:27.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.dawn.com",
  "tags": [
    "World",
    "US-Israeli war on Iran"
  ],
  "textContent": "Indian police this week seized 414 cooking‑gas canisters hidden in a graveyard in Hyderabad city and arrested those involved in trying to ​sell them on the black market amid shortages due to the ‌US-Israeli war on Iran, a government official said on Thursday.\n\nAuthorities have stepped up raids to curb hoarding of liquefied petroleum gas canisters after the US-Israeli war against Iran disrupted shipping, causing supply ​shortages.\n\nIndia, the world’s number two Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) importer, meets about 60 per cent ​of its demand through overseas purchases, mostly from the Middle East.\n\n“Just ⁠yesterday, around 2,600 raids were carried out and about 700 cylinders were ​seized,” Sujata Sharma, a senior official in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural ​Gas, told a regular briefing on the Middle East crisis.\n\n“In addition, around 400 cylinders were recently found at one location inside a graveyard in Hyderabad. Ten people have been ​detained there, and the distributor involved has been suspended,” she said.\n\nPolice said ​the accused had been selling both commercial and domestic canisters from the graveyard at nearly ‌three ⁠times the current market price.\n\nA commercial canister that costs about 2,100 Indian rupees ($22) had been sold for as much as 6,000 rupees. The total value of the seized canisters and some vehicles used by the accused was nearly ​2.2 million rupees, police ​said.\n\n_Reuters_ could ⁠not immediately contact the accused or their representatives.\n\n“The supply of natural gas to domestic consumers is 100pc assured,” Sharma ​said. “With regard to LPG supply, prices have remained stable ​despite international ⁠volatility, and there has been no increase in the price of domestic LPG cylinders.“\n\nTo ease the pressure on LPG supplies, India has been promoting the use of ⁠alternatives ​such as kerosene, coal and biogas, while accelerating ​the roll out of piped natural gas for households.",
  "title": "Graveyard raid in India uncovers hidden cooking gas canisters amid shortage"
}