LPG blast: Alleged illegal gas racket mastermind arrested

CH NEWS BENGALURU Police have arrested Manoj, alleged mastermind of an illegal LPG cylinder refilling racket, in connection with the cylinder blast in Byappanahalli police limits. Police said Manoj, who ran a private gas agency, had allegedly been illegally storing cylinders at a godown and refilling smaller cylinders by siphoning gas from larger ones. He allegedly exploited customers’ failure to check cylinder weight and sold the larger cylinders at higher prices. The investigation began after four cylinders exploded successively at a shed on a vacant site at Kaggadasapura on September 30. The shed was destroyed, while a cylinder fragment reportedly hit a nearby school window. No injuries or casualties were reported. Police are investigating the racket’s scale and possible involvement of others.