In another development symbolising the on-ground panic around the fear of a potential LPGshortage, a 70-year-old embroidery worker died of a suspected heart attack while waiting in a long queue to collect an LPG cylinder in Uttar Pradesh’s Farrukhabad on Friday.
As per information obtained by The Indian Express after speaking to the aggrieved family, the elderly man had almost collapsed on the ground while waiting for his LPG cylinder at a gas agency godown in UP.
While many attempted to revive the elderly man by administering CPR and performing chest compression, their effort bore little result as the embroidery worker was soon declared dead after being taken to a nearby hospital.
The incident transpired amid ongoing tensions about disruption of fuel supply to the country. Owing to the Iran-US-Israel conflict in West Asia, e-commerce and on-ground shopping trends suggest a panic buying of LPG cylinders and induction cooktops among Indians despite the government maintaining that domestic cylinders are available.
Notably, India’s petroleum and natural gas minister, Hardeep Puri has maintained that there is no shortage of LPG for domestic consumption in the country presently as the government has prioritised supply to households.
According to reports published by The Indian Express the victim has been identified as Mukhtiyar Ahmed, a resident of Garhi Khan Khana area who is survived by his wife and seven children, including five daughters.
Why did Mukhtiyar Ahmed go out to get a cylinder
Speaking to The Indian Express, the deceased’s nephew Mohammad Wasi said that Mukhtiyar had gone to the gas agency to arrange a refill for the house a day earlier. After waiting in a long line, he was issued a slip and asked to collect the filled gas cylinder from the godown the next day.
“On Friday morning, around 9 am, my uncle went to the godown and there was already a long queue of people waiting their turn,” Wasi claimed.
He said Mukhtiyar was standing in the line when he suddenly complained of severe chest pain and collapsed. “People standing nearby tried to help him. Some of them even attempted to revive him by giving CPR. He was then rushed to a hospital, but doctors there declared him dead,” Wasi said.
Notably Wasim’s testimony has been disputed by the supply officials looking into the case. Farrukhabad District Supply Officer, Surendra Yadav has refuted the allegation that the elderly man had been waiting in a long queue or that his death was linked to standing for hours.
“The booking for the cylinder had already been made. On Friday, he had come to the godown only to collect it. It is possible that his health suddenly deteriorated,” Yadav said.
He also said the incident occurred about half an hour after the victim reached the godown. “It is incorrect to say he had to stand in a queue for three hours to collect the gas cylinder,” Yadav added. |
