Taking a hard lesson from the use of small LPG cylinders in the Bodh Gaya serial blasts, the Bihar government on Saturday banned the sale of small cylinders statewide and began removing encroachments near the Mahabodhi temple for proper security of the Buddhist shrine.
The ban, announced by Bihar’s food and civil supplies minister Shayam Rajak, makes it an offence for anyone in the state, shops and families included, to use LPG cylinders of 2.5 kg and 5 kg. After the July 7 explosion on the premises of the 1,500-year-old, globally renowned temple that hurt two foreign monks, investigators had found that LPG cylinders of 2.5 kg were used by the unidentified attackers to make those bombs.
“A direction has been issued to all companies engaged in the LPG gas business to stop the sale and supply of small cylinders with immediate effect across the state. If any small gas cylinder is found in any shop, the LPG agency catering to the locality will be prosecuted along with the consumer,” said Mr Rajak.