Srinagar: Mobile telephones, sans state owned BSNL, and internet services remained suspended for the second consecutive day Thursday in the Kashmir Valley The services were snapped after prominent militant commander Riyaz Naikoo was killed by security forces in South Kashmir on Wednesday.
The measure, as per the officials, has been taken as a precautionary measure to prevent protests.
Soon after the news about Naikoo’s killing spread, restrictions were also imposed in most parts of the Kashmir Valley, including this summer capital of J&K.
Even though the Kashmir is under the coronavirus lockdown from last 49 days, additional police and paramilitary forces personnel have been deployed in many sensitive and vulnerable areas of the Valley, reports said.
Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar meanwhile defended imposition of restrictions on the movement of people and snapping of internet and mobile phone services in Kashmir calling the measures “necessary” to maintain law and order.
“The restrictions on internet and phones were necessary to maintain law and order otherwise rumours could have spread, old videos would have been posted to instigate people,” he said addressing reporters here.
The top police officer said the restrictions will be reviewed as the “situation improves.”
However, reports of clashes with incidents of stone pelting by groups of youths have been reported from the areas around Naikoo’s native village in Awanitpora since early morning on Thursday, police sources said.
At least one person was killed and 25 others suffered injuries after government forces allegedly opened fire and used pellet guns to disperse protesters on Wednesday in Awantipora.
source: kashmirobserver
