Fuel Panic Grips Tripura Despite Minister’s Assurance of Adequate Stock

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, May 14, 2026

Even after the Tripura government assured that there is no shortage of petrol and diesel in the state, panic buying and confusion continued across Agartala and several other areas on Thursday evening, with many fuel stations displaying “No Petrol, No Diesel” signboards.

Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury appealed to the public not to believe rumours and not to encourage black marketing. According to the minister, the state currently has sufficient stock of petrol and diesel for the next 15 days, and additional fuel consignments are also on the way to Tripura.

The situation turned tense from Thursday morning as long queues of vehicles were seen at petrol pumps across the capital city. Panic among vehicle owners increased after several fuel stations reportedly stopped supplying fuel and put up signboards stating that petrol and diesel were unavailable.

Following reports of the growing rush and confusion, Minister Sushanta Chowdhury immediately convened an important meeting with officials of the Food Department and representatives of petroleum agencies. After the meeting, the minister addressed the media and categorically stated that there is no fuel crisis in Tripura.

“We have adequate stock of petrol and diesel in the state for at least the next 15 days. More supplies are also arriving. People should not panic or fall prey to rumours. Nobody should support black marketers,” the minister said.

However, despite the minister’s assurance, the ground reality appeared different in many parts of Agartala even during the evening and late-night hours. Several petrol pumps across the city continued displaying boards declaring “No Petrol” and “No Diesel,” raising questions about monitoring and enforcement by the authorities.

There were also allegations that some petrol pump operators were misleading consumers and creating artificial scarcity. The absence of visible monitoring by the concerned department further added to public frustration.

This correspondent personally visited multiple fuel stations, including pumps near Amtali Bypass and two petrol pumps in the Radhanagar area of Agartala, but could not procure petrol. At all these locations, petrol pump authorities had already displayed notices claiming that fuel stocks were unavailable.

The contradictory situation between the government’s assurance and the actual condition at fuel stations has triggered widespread concern among citizens. Many people questioned why pumps continued denying fuel if there was indeed no shortage in the state.

Meanwhile, the government is expected to intensify monitoring of petrol pumps to prevent panic, ensure smooth fuel distribution, and stop any possibility of hoarding or black marketing.

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