BENGALURU/AHMEDABAD/LUCKNOW/PANAJI: Panic buying of fuel triggered long queues outside petrol pumps across several states, with some outlets resorting to rationing, amid concerns over supplies linked to the ongoing West Asia crisis. The central government, however, said on Thursday that India has about 60 days of fuel stock cover and dismissed reports of shortages as a “deliberate misinformation campaign” aimed at triggering panic buying.. Vehicles in a long queue at a fuel pump amid the nationwide reports of fuel shortage, in Lucknow on Thursday. (ANI). The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, in a statement, said, “Nearly two months of steady supply is available for every Indian citizen, regardless of what happens globally. Any representation that India’s reserves are depleted or insufficient should be dismissed with the disdain it deserves.”. In Gujarat, long queues were reported from cities such as Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat and Gandhinagar, with the state government saying fuel sales have surged four to five times since Monday. “The fuel sales have increased by four to five times due to panic buying. We want to assure people that there is enough fuel supply and it is being continued round the clock,” the government said in a statement on Thursday.. Some fuel pump owners said they had capped sales at ₹200 for two-wheelers and ₹2,000 for four-wheelers.. “We have no option as people are hoarding fuel. Many people from villages are coming to buy fuel in huge quantities,” said a fuel pump owner in Surat, describing scenes of people filling cans with petrol and diesel.. As a result of panic buying, some filling stations in Surat and Ahmedabad shut temporarily after running out of stock. Dealers appealed to people not to panic. On Wednesday, police booked Gopal Chudasama, president of the Rajkot Petrol and Diesel Dealers Association, for allegedly spreading misinformation on social media about a fuel shortage.. In Kashmir, a heavy rush was reported at petrol pumps across Srinagar and other parts of the Valley, with people queuing up with vehicles, cans and bottles, leading to serpentine lines.. Several fuel stations shut after running dry. “I had to wait over an hour for my turn as there was a huge rush. But I finally managed to fill petrol in my car,” said Owais Ahmad from Srinagar. A petrol pump owner in Ganderbal district said people were “unnecessarily creating panic”, forcing many stations to shut early. “Sufficient quantity of LPG and petroleum products is available across the Valley. It is being replenished regularly to ensure an uninterrupted supply,” said Kashmir divisional commissioner Anshul Garg.. In Karnataka, the situation remained largely normal in Bengaluru, though shortages were reported from smaller towns such as Yadgir, Belagavi and the Hubballi-Dharwad region. In some areas, police escorted fuel tankers to outlets and warned against spreading rumours on social media.. Yadgir superintendent of po
