Akola: A 55-year-old former sarpanch of Anvi Mirzapur village, 20 km from Akola, died while standing in a queue for LPG cylinder at a gas agency in Malkapur area of the city in sweltering heat on Saturday afternoon. At 41.2 degrees Celsius, Akola was the hottest city in Vidarbha on Saturday.Sources said the deceased, Shankarrao Sirsat, had come to visit his widowed daughter-in-law who stays in Akola. On learning about her difficulty in getting domestic gas refill, he decided to help her out. He went to the gas agency at around 9am and joined the queue. At approximately 1.30pm, he reportedly felt dizzy and collapsed. He was declared dead on the spot, triggering shock and anger among local residents.Citizens questioned the administration’s preparedness and response on difficulties in getting the LPG cylinder supply. Citizens demanded swift action from the administration to ensure regular LPG supply.Reacting to the incident, Prakash Ambedkar, national president of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, said the govt failed to make adequate arrangements. “Had timely measures been taken, Shankarrao Sirsat’s life could have been saved,” he said.
