New Delhi, July 2 -- For Appu, Chhotu and Munna, the wait at the gas dealership has gotten longer.

Demand for these portable gas cylinders creatively named after kids plunged after prices doubled following the West Asia war, at least four distributors said. These 5kg cylinders are primarily used by migrant workers and students, and can be purchased off the shelf with just Aadhar as identity proof. The crash in demand also raises questions about workers' return to urban areas, after an exodus during a cooking gas squeeze.

The fall in demand coincided with price hikes. In Delhi, the price of these small cylinders-technically called free trade LPG (FTL) cylinders-jumped from Rs.323 in March to Rs.821.50 in June. FTL cylinders are sold by o...