The city crime branch claimed to have busted a racket involved in stealing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from domestic cylinders in Thergaon.

The crime branch officials arrested two suspects in the case. The agency seized 39 domestic cylinders meant for distribution in Wakad, Thergaon and adjoining areas, two commercial cylinders and two auto rickshaw cylinders worth Rs2 lakh.

The police found that the suspects had transferred 53 kg of gas into the empty cylinders from 31 sealed cylinders.

A team headed by police inspector Sunil Pawar, sub-inspector Khandoji Handore and police constables Shivanand Swami and Steven Sundaram made the arrest. The suspects have been identified as Mahipal Ramlal Vaishnavi (21) and Omprakash Maganram Vaishnavi (25) both residents of Thergaon. The two are autorickshaw drivers.

The police suspect that their accomplice Ashok Mohanrao Vaishnavi is involved in transferring LPG from the sealed cylinders into empty cylinders with the help of a machine.

The suspects never broke open seals of the cylinders before transferring the gas into the empty cylinders.

The two auto drivers were assigned to distribute LPG cylinders to the customers of Chinchwad's Amrapali Gas Agency staying in Wakad, Thergaon and adjoining areas.

The agency's godown is located in Wakad and the suspects, instead of distributing the cylinders, took them to a tin shed located at Taljai colony near Sancheti School.

Following a tip-off, the police raided the spot at around 4 pm and caught the suspects red-handed.

The agency manager Rajaram Dagdoba Kirve of Warje had lodged a complaint in this regard.

DNA Correspondent/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication