Restrictions on mobile data services to continue till February 15 in Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday stated that it's January 31 order regarding restrictions on mobile data services shall continue to remain operative till February 15.

"Upon re-assessment of the restrictions on mobile data services with regard to its impact on the overall security situation and after due consideration of reports of the law enforcement agencies, which have, among other things, brought out the usage of the internet for carrying out terror activities including those at Nagrota, Pratap Park (Srinagar), Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway as well as use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for this purpose. The directions/restrictions contained in govt order of January 31, shall continue to remain operative till 15th February," Shaleen Kabra, Principal Secretary to the government, said.

Kabra also said that the IGP Kashmir/Jammu shall ensure immediate compliance of these directions by all the service providers.

The central government had suspended the internet in the region following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5, 2019, which conferred special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, and its bifurcation into two Union Territories -- Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.