Itanagar, May 7: Police have arrested two persons in connection with a series of LPG cylinder thefts reported across the township amid the ongoing domestic gas shortage.
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| Two accused arrested by Itanagar Police in connection with a series of LPG cylinder theft cases, along with recovered cylinders seized during the investigation in Itanagar. |
The accused have been identified as Yikar Taba and Lingko Tare. Their arrest followed a complaint regarding the theft of an LPG cylinder from the verandah of a residence at Jollang.
According to police, the investigation conducted under Itanagar Police Station Case No. 121/2026 under Section 305(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) led officers to uncover a wider theft-and-disposal network operating in the area.
Acting on local intelligence inputs, the police intercepted the accused persons and recovered the stolen LPG cylinder linked to the case.
During interrogation and further investigation, police found that the accused allegedly conducted reconnaissance of residential areas and identified houses where LPG cylinders were kept in open spaces or verandahs. The cylinders were reportedly stolen when the houses appeared unattended.
Police said the accused allegedly exploited the panic arising from the ongoing LPG shortage by quickly selling the stolen cylinders at cheaper prices through local contacts and social media demand networks.
So far, police have recovered 10 stolen LPG cylinders from different receivers across Itanagar township. Authorities are continuing investigations to identify additional victims, recover more stolen cylinders and establish the complete theft-and-sale chain.
Issuing a public advisory, Itanagar Police urged anyone who may have purchased or received LPG cylinders from the accused or from suspicious and unauthorised sources to voluntarily surrender them at Itanagar Police Station.
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Police warned that purchasing stolen property is a punishable offence and stated that legal action would be taken against any receiver found in possession of stolen cylinders who fails to disclose the same voluntarily.
Citizens have also been advised not to purchase LPG cylinders or household items from unknown persons offering suspiciously low prices and to immediately inform police about any suspicious sale activities.
