MUMBAI, May 30 -- A major gas leak triggered panic in Dadar West on Friday evening after a Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) pipeline was accidentally ruptured during excavation work near Portuguese Church, prompting authorities to temporarily shut traffic and suspend gas supply in the area as a precautionary measure. The incident occurred around 6.05pm on Gokhale Road near Mejwani Restaurant when a JCB machine engaged in removing the roots of a fallen tree allegedly struck an underground gas pipeline. Dramatic visuals from the spot showed gas shooting several feet into the air, resembling water jets erupting from a burst pipeline and drawing large crowds of onlookers. Teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, MGL, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Mumbai Traffic Police rushed to the site and cordoned off the area to prevent any untoward incident. The leak was brought under control within about 30 minutes after MGL personnel reached the spot and shut the valves. MGL officials attributed the rupture to the excavation activity being carried out between the road and the footpath....