A sudden shortage of petrol and diesel gripped Hingoli town on Thursday, triggering panic buying and long queues at fuel stations, causing widespread inconvenience to residents. The situation appears to have been triggered not by an actual supply disruption but by panic buying fuelled by rumours linked to the ongoing conflict in Gulf countries. According to reports, rumours of fuel scarcity had been circulating for the past few days. The situation escalated on Thursday afternoon when several petrol pumps in the city ran out of stock within a short span. A major fuel station at Indira Chowk shut down around noon after exhausting its petrol and diesel supply. Soon after, another pump near the sub-divisional police office also ran dry, further intensifying panic.
As news of empty pumps spread, motorists rushed to outlets on the outskirts, where long queues of vehicles formed within minutes. The sudden surge in demand led to traffic congestion, with many residents scrambling to secure fuel. Some even travelled beyond city limits to refill their vehicles. District supply officer Appasaheb Patil said Hingoli district has 85 petrol pumps, including outlets operated by major oil companies, and receives a daily supply of 115–125 kilolitres of fuel.
He emphasised that supplies have remained steady despite international developments and attributed the crisis largely to panic buying. He noted that on Wednesday, following rumours of an impending shortage, many consumers purchased fuel in larger quantities than usual, often doubling their typical consumption. This sudden spike in demand caused several pumps to run out of stock earlier than expected. Authorities have assured that fresh supplies are being dispatched and the situation is expected to normalise soon.