Hyderabad Gas Cylinder Black Market Busted: Four Arrested, 129 Cylinders Worth Rs 7.5 Lakh Seized
Hyderabad police arrested four persons for allegedly selling commercial gas cylinders illegally in Gandhi Nagar limits and seized 129 cylinders worth Rs. 7.5 lakh.
Hyderabad: Commissioner’s Task Force (Secunderabad Zone) and Gandhi Nagar Police jointly arrested four persons for allegedly selling commercial gas cylinders illegally at inflated prices to customers in Hyderabad.
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The accused were caught during raids conducted on May 5, 2026, at IDH Colony in New Bhoiguda, Secunderabad, under the limits of Gandhi Nagar Police Station.
During the operation, police seized 129 gas cylinders, vehicles used for transportation, cash, and mobile phones. The total value of the seized property is estimated at around Rs. 7,50,000/-.
Accused Arrested in Gandhi Nagar Gas Cylinder Black Market Case
The arrested accused were identified as:
- Yalam Pratap Kumar (21), son of Anjaiah, working as a gas delivery boy, resident of Karmanghat, originally from Nalgonda district.
- Jallela Mallesh (25), son of Anjaneyulu, working as a gas delivery boy, resident of Vijayalakshmi Colony, Meerpet, originally from Nalgonda district.
- Mora Nagarjuna alias Arjun (32), son of Raghu, working as a driver, resident near Passport Office, Secunderabad. Police identified him as an intermediary in the illegal sales network.
- Nagulapalli Mallesh (56), son of late Shivayya, running a tiffin centre business, resident of New Bhoiguda, Secunderabad. He was identified as a customer.
129 Gas Cylinders and Vehicles Seized
Police seized the following items during the raid:
- 129 commercial gas cylinders
- 25 filled cylinders
- 104 empty cylinders
- Ashok Leyland goods vehicle bearing registration number TG 07 U 2257
- Black Activa scooter bearing registration number AP 28 DP 1902
- Cash amount of Rs. 26,700/-
- 04 mobile phones
The total value of the seized property is estimated at approximately Rs. 7,50,000/-.
Police Reveal Modus Operandi of Illegal Gas Cylinder Sales
According to police, accused Yalam Pratap Kumar and Jallela Mallesh were working as delivery boys at Bhargavi Gas Agency.
Police said the accused took advantage of the high market demand for commercial gas cylinders and allegedly planned with their friend Mora Nagarjuna to sell cylinders illegally in the black market without the knowledge of the gas agency owner.
As per the plan:
- The two delivery boys allegedly sold cylinders daily to Nagarjuna for prices ranging from Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 3,800
- The original price of the cylinders was Rs. 3,337/-
- Mora Nagarjuna allegedly resold the cylinders to local restaurants and tiffin centre owners in Hyderabad for Rs. 5,000 each
Police alleged that the accused were illegally earning money by overcharging customers through black market sales.
Police Officers Conducted the Operation
The operation was conducted successfully by:
- Inspector J. Rajashekhar, Secunderabad Zone Task Force
- Inspector P. Raghavender, Khairatabad Zone Task Force
- Inspector N. Bose Kiran, Gandhi Nagar Police Station
- SI K. Karunakar Reddy, Secunderabad Zone Task Force
- Other police staff
The press release was issued by Gaikwad Vaibhav Raghunath, IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Task Force, Hyderabad City.
The Hyderabad police busted an alleged commercial gas cylinder black market racket in Gandhi Nagar Police Station limits and arrested four accused during raids at IDH Colony in New Bhoiguda on May 5, 2026. Police seized 129 gas cylinders, vehicles, cash, and mobile phones worth around Rs. 7.5 lakh. Investigators said the accused illegally sold commercial gas cylinders at inflated prices to restaurants and tiffin centres across Hyderabad.
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