SRINAGAR Jammu and Kashmir police Thursday directed telecom operators to snap all data services for 41 hours starting early Friday. According to a letter addressed to various operators police took the step fearing that the data services could be misused by anti-national elements.
This, the letter says, is likely to cause deterioration in law and order situation. You are requested to complete (sic) snap down the data services through GPRS/2G/3G and broadband in Kashmir valley starting from 25 September 0500 hours to 26 September 2200 hours, the letter asks operators.
“In order to prevent anti-social elements from uploading inflammatory posts and pictures that could stoke communal passions, it has been decided to suspend Internet services on mobile phone for two days,” police sources said. These sources say that there was almost total unanimity on the issue of blocking mobile internet services during the security review meeting called by the DGP K Rajendra in Srinagar on the Eid eve.
During the meeting attended by various security agencies-both state and center- the use of social media during Eid celebrations was widely discussed and it was agreed that pictures and videos of slaughtering of bovines, considered inevitable in Kashmir, would lead to incitement of communal passions in many parts of India. It was agreed that people would be posting all sorts of pictures and videos on social media like Facebook and Twitter. At one level, going strictly by law, the act of bovine slaughter would constitute contempt of court, but what we are more worried about is the implication of these pictures. So we have decided to clamp down on the internet, said a senior J&K Police officer
The recent High Court decision to reassert strict compliance of a 1932 provision from the Ranbir Penal Code earlier this month regarding ban on slaughter, sale or possession of beef in Jammu and Kashmir, has left the largely Muslim residents of Jammu & Kashmir fuming. Amid massive protests over the beef ban, the government was forced to impose a curfew for several days earlier this month.
Govt Advisory for Festival Season
JAMMU In view of ensuing religious festivals, the state government has issued advisory to all the Deputy Commissioners and other senior level officers not to leave headquarters without prior permission of the designated authorities.
All the District Superintendents of Police have also been asked not to leave the stations and be available in respective places of posting during the religious festivals.
The directions have been issued to ensure adequate availability of civil supplies and to make sure that proper arrangements are made for the people with respect to water and power supply, sanitation, healthcare and traffic management. During the festival season special market checking drives are also to be undertaken to curb profiteering and black marketing of essential commodities.
The police administration shall make sure that proper security arrangement are put in place in the districts and proper arrangements are made at Eidgahs.
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