J-K govt orders shutdown of internet, mobile services
Srinagar: Normal life remained affected for the 66th consecutive day on Monday in violence-hit Kashmir, where authorities imposed restrictions on the movement and assembly of people in some areas on the eve of Eid-ul-Azha.
Restrictions have been imposed in some of the towns in Kashmir as well as in three police station areas of Srinagar, a police official said here. He said restrictions have been imposed in the towns of Ganderbal, Kupwara, Baramulla, Budgam, Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama and Anantnag.
The curbs have also been imposed in Khanyar, Nowhatta and M R Gunj police station areas of Srinagar city, the official said, adding the step has been taken to maintain law and order. Meanwhile, normal life continued to remain affected due to the restrictions and the shutdown called by separatist groups against the death of civilians in clashes in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani in an encounter. Shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut during the day even on Eid eve on Monday. They open in the evening on some days of the week in view of the 12-hour relaxation in the strike from 6 PM announced by the separatists.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday ordered shutdown of internet services of all telecom networks and also mobile communications except of state-run BSNL for the next 72 hours as a precautionary measure because of the tense law and order situation in the state.
The decision for a complete ban of the internet services was taken after a review of the prevailing law and order situation in the state on the eve of Eid-ul-Zuha festival tomorrow, official sources here said.
The sources said Airtel, Aircel, Vodafone and Reliance telecom service providers have been ordered to shut down their services with immediate effect for 72 hours besides directing the state-run BSNL to stop its broadband services for Internet.
Separatists had given a call to march towards the United Nations office for tomorrow and the authorities were expecting that there will be addresses over telephone by leaders besides mobilising people using data services, the sources said.
However, post-paid BSNL numbers, which are mainly with police, army and government officials, have been kept out of the purview of the ban, the sources said.
Mobile phone was banned immediately after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani during an encounter on July 8. (PTI)