The petrol price was hiked yesterday by a record Rs 7.54 per litre as rupee had a free fall, an unpopular decision that was attacked by allies of UPA government who demanded its immediate rollback holding it as unacceptable.

The hike, the third in one year, came a day after end of the Budget session of Parliament and Indian Prime Minister Manmo-han Singh speaking of the need to take "difficult decisions" on the third anniversary of UPA-II. —PTI