Bhubaneswar: Capital city Bhubaneswar witnessed panic buying of fuel on Thursday as concerns over a possible petrol and diesel shortage triggered long queues at fuel stations across the city amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Several petrol pumps in the capital city reportedly ran out of fuel, forcing operators to put up “No Petrol, No Diesel” notices. Commuters and vehicle owners were seen waiting in long queues at filling stations in different parts of the city to stock up on fuel, fearing supply disruptions.

However, General Secretary of the Utkal Petroleum Dealers Association, Sanjay Lath, said there was adequate stock of petrol and diesel in the state.

"There is no shortage of fuel. People should stay away from rumours of petrol shortage. Due to continuous panic buying for 2-3 days, fuel transportation was affected as it couldn't keep up with the demand. This is why several stations ran out of fuel. Such stations will be refilled by this evening. Only 100 out of around 3000 fuel stations in the state have run dry," said Lath.

Many residents, however, expressed concern over the sudden rush at fuel stations.

“I came to fill petrol after hearing that many pumps had gone dry. The queue was very long, and people seemed worried,” said Satyabrata Nayak, a resident of Nayapalli.

Another commuter, Priyanka Das, said, “There is panic among people because of rumours on social media. Authorities should give clear information so that people do not rush unnecessarily.”

Despite assurances from dealers, heavy rush continued at several fuel stations as consumers preferred to refill their tanks amid uncertainty.