Internet services on prepaid connections restored in Kashmir after six months

Internet services on prepaid mobile connections in Kashmir Valley have been restored after remaining suspended for more than six months due to violence following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani by security forces. Data services on prepaid mobile telephony were restored last midnight, a police official said. He said the decision to restore the services was taken in view of the improvement in the situation in the Valley.

Mobile internet services on both prepaid as well as postpaid connections were suspended days after Wani was killed in an encounter in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on July 8. The services were snapped across the Valley to maintain law and order and to prevent rumour mongering. Internet facility on postpaid mobile connections was restored on November 18 last year.

Internet and mobile services in Kashmir have been banned frequently over years as a means to bring control and stopping people or trouble makers organise and coordinate. This form of state control over communication has long been a point of contention for the people of Kashmir but there seems to be no improvement on that front. The only normalizing factor after the ban that helps authorities resume telecom and internet services in the area is lack of protests and relatively calm environment.

With inputs from PTI