Mobile Internet services in Valley to be suspended

Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday decided to suspend mobile internet services in the Kashmir Valley to prevent misuse of social networking sites by anti-social elements ahead of the death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

As a preventive measure to strengthen security across the Valley as separatists prepare to observe Wani's death anniversary, sources said service providers have been asked by authorities to suspend m obile Internet services indefinitely from 10 p.m. onwards on Thursday.

Separatists have announced a Valley-wide protest shutdown on July 8 to observe the death anniversary of Wani, who was killed on the same day last year, following which the Valley remained shut for 53 days.

As many as 94 civilian protesters were killed and over 200 others lost their vision either partially or completely because of pellets fired by the security forces during mob control last year.

Security challenges for the authorities have been compounded this time because of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.

The Union Home Ministry has provided additional 20,000 paramilitary personnel to the state government to ensure security in the Valley, sources said.

--IANS

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