Bhubaneswar: Amid concerns over the smooth supply of cooking gas, illegal trade of LPG cylinders has come under the scanner, with authorities uncovering a large-scale black marketing network in Bhubaneswar.

In a raid conducted in the Jharpada area, officials seized as many as 110 illegally stored LPG cylinders. Among them, 95 were domestic cylinders while the remaining were commercial ones. The cylinders were reportedly being sold in the black market at inflated prices ranging between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000.

The raid follows a similar operation carried out a few days ago in Chandrasekharpur Housing Board Colony and Niladri Vihar Sector-13, where 94 illegally stored cylinders were seized.

Officials revealed that the cylinders in Jharpada were stored in a residential locality under highly unsafe conditions, posing a serious threat to public safety. Authorities warned that such storage could have led to a major accident.

Legal action has been initiated against the shop owner involved in the illegal trade. The department has assured strict action against those responsible for endangering public safety and engaging in black marketing.

Officials suspect that the cylinders may have been sourced from authorised gas agencies. A detailed investigation is underway to trace the origin and identify all those involved in the supply chain.