<h1>Excise duty cut and anti-hoarding warnings aim to protect fuel supply and prevent artificial shortages.</h1> Excise duty on petrol and diesel was reduced to cushion consumers against rising crude prices, with oil companies said to absorb the burden without passing it on. Public warnings were issued against panic buying, hoarding, and rumour-mongering, including false claims of a nationwide lockdown, on the ground that such conduct could create an artificial shortage and disrupt supply.