A theft incident involving an LPG cylinder in Indore has left residents of a watchman’s quarters alarmed after a masked man allegedly pushed a woman aside and fled with the cylinder from her home. The incident occurred in the Khajrana police station area and has prompted neighbours to begin securing their own cylinders with chains inside their houses.
The episode took place in the Velvet Garden locality, where two couples employed as watchmen live in servant quarters. The families, who work as labourers and security guards in the area, had already been taking precautions to protect their LPG cylinders due to growing concerns about theft and supply shortages.
According to residents, cooking gas cylinders had been secured inside homes using iron chains and locks. However, the incident demonstrated that even such precautions were not enough to prevent the theft.
Manju Bai, one of the residents of the quarters, described how the incident unfolded. She said a young man arrived at her home during the afternoon with his face partially covered by a cloth. The man reportedly asked to speak with her husband and even called him by name.
Manju Bai said she did not respond to his request or provide any information about her husband’s whereabouts. Shortly after this exchange, the situation escalated unexpectedly.
According to her account, the man suddenly pushed her aside and rushed toward the kitchen area of the house. Within moments, he picked up the LPG cylinder and ran away from the premises before she could react or seek help.
The entire incident occurred so quickly that Manju Bai was unable to stop him. By the time she realised what had happened, the man had already disappeared from the area with the cylinder.
News of the unusual theft spread quickly among the other residents living in the servant quarters. Many expressed concern that if a cylinder could be taken from inside a home despite being secured, their own homes could also become targets.
A neighbour, Maya Bai, said the incident frightened several families in the locality. After learning about the theft, she immediately decided to secure the gas cylinder in her own home using iron chains.
Manju Bai also took additional precautions by fastening another cylinder kept in her house with a chain and lock. As a result, several kitchens in the small residential quarters now have gas cylinders tied with heavy chains, reflecting the fear that has spread among the residents.
The families living in the quarters originally belong to Khargone district and had migrated to Indore in search of work opportunities. They are employed as watchmen in the Velvet Garden area and reside in the servant quarters provided near the site where they work.
For these families, the LPG cylinder is not simply a household item but an essential resource for daily cooking and survival. Losing it creates both financial and practical difficulties for households that rely on it for preparing meals.
Despite the seriousness of the incident, Manju Bai has not filed a formal complaint with the police regarding the theft. Residents say that instead of approaching authorities, the families have chosen to focus on strengthening security measures within their homes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
