In Lakhimpur Kheri district, Uttar Pradesh, panic buying of petrol and diesel occurred due to rumors of an impending fuel price hike. This surge in demand disrupted fuel distribution, with some petrol pumps running dry as consumers rushed to fill their tanks. District Magistrate Anjani Kumar Singh reported that while stocks remained adequate, the sudden spike in demand led to temporary shortages at several outlets. To manage the situation, some petrol pumps implemented sales caps, limiting purchases to ₹100 to ₹200 worth of petrol for two-wheelers and ₹500 to ₹1,000 for four-wheelers. As of Friday, 285 petrol pumps in the district had sufficient stocks of 2,141 kilolitres of diesel and 1,575 kilolitres of petrol. Officials assured that additional supplies would arrive soon and urged residents to avoid panic buying. The Kheri Petroleum Dealers Association plans to discuss measures with district authorities to prevent hoarding, especially in rural areas.