Thane: Two women in Kalyan-Dombivli have fallen victim to an online fraud after scammers allegedly posed as representatives of Mahanagar Gas Limited and tricked them into downloading a malicious application on their phones, police confirmed on Friday.
According to Suhas Hemade, Assistant Commissioner of Police, the victims received calls from an unknown person claiming to be from the gas distribution company. The caller asked them to download and open an APK file and fill out a form on their mobile phones under the pretext of updating gas-related information.
After the women completed the process, around Rs 4 lakh was allegedly debited from their bank accounts. Police have registered two cases of online financial fraud at Dombivli Police Station and launched an investigation into the incident.
The scam has surfaced at a time when several parts of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, including Navi Mumbai and Thane, are witnessing an acute shortage of LPG cylinders.
Earlier today, residents in Sanpada were seen queuing up from as early as 3 am to obtain LPG cylinders amid dwindling supply. Viral visuals shared on X showed large crowds gathered outside a gas agency, with people waiting in long queues carrying empty cylinders.
The shortage has also severely impacted the hospitality sector across the region. According to Vijay Shetty, president of the Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHAR), around 20 percent of the city’s 16,000 restaurants had shut by Tuesday due to the shortage, with the number rising to 35 percent on Wednesday.
In addition, more than 20 percent of hotels in Raigad district and Navi Mumbai had reportedly shut operations by March 11 as LPG supplies dried up. Hoteliers have alleged that cylinders are being sold in the black market at prices starting from Rs 3,000, higher than usual rates.
Hotel associations have urged authorities to immediately ensure adequate LPG supply to prevent further closures and protect the livelihoods of thousands of workers dependent on the hospitality sector.
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