Pune, March 13 -- Cylinder shortage forces mess closures, competitive exam aspirants head back to villages.

The disruption in the supply of commercial LPG cylinders in Pune has begun to affect the daily lives of thousands of students preparing for competitive examinations in the city.

With several small eateries and mess facilities shutting down due to the unavailability of commercial cylinders, many students are now considering returning to their native places.

Several mess operators in student-dominated localities informed their customers on Thursday that dinner services would not be available due to the gas shortage.

The sudden disruption has created uncertainty for students who rely heavily on these low-cost meal services for their ...