Mobile, internet services remain suspended in Kashmir

Srinagar : Mobile and internet services of all Cellular companies, barring Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), remained suspended in the Kashmir valley for the second day on Friday as a precautionary measure to prevent rumours following death of senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

Geelani, who breathed his last at his Hyderpora residence in the city outskirts on Srinagar-Airport road on Wednesday, was laid to rest in a local grave yard early yesterday morning.

Official sources said that the authorities have issued direction on Wednesday mid-night to all Cellular companies to suspend mobile and internet services in the Kashmir valley till further orders.

The internet service of Jio fiber, Airtel fiber and other local service providers, including CNS point-to-point, were suspended since early Thursday morning. Mobile service of these companies has also remained suspended.

However, BSNL mobile and broadband service were functioning though the speed is very low.

Journalists, students and professionals, particularly doctors, were badly hit due to suspension of internet and mobile service.

A number of journalists, representing national and international media organizations, also found it difficult to file their stories. However, some of them managed using broadband facility.

Students studying on-line from outside colleges and universities also could not attend their classes due to no internet.

Majority of the people said that they had surrendered their BSNL broadband connection after Jiofiber and Airtelfiber were introduced. Long queues of people were seen outside the BSNL main office at Exchange road to reactivate their broadband and mobile connections.

Those associated with the tourism, including houseboat owners, hoteliers and guest house also complained that due to suspension of internet facilities their guests could not contact them. On the one hand government is inviting more guests from different parts of the country but on the other internet, which is an important basic facility for tourists, is being snapped if there is any apprehension of law and order problem, they said.

Recently, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla invited people across the globe to visit Kashmir which is very beautiful.

Snapping of internet also made the children restless as they were deprived of their favourite TV programmes.

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