Page 3 - Internet Shutdown

Police vigil continues in violence-hit Satara village, internet still shut

Police continued to maintain strict vigil in Pusesawali village in Maharashtra's Satara district where communal violence claimed one life, while the Internet services which have been suspended are likely to be restored by Wednesday evening, officials said. Two groups clashed in Pusesawali village on Sunday night over an "objectionable" post on social media. Rioters also set on fire some houses and vehicles, police earlier said. One person was killed and 10 others injured in the violence, they said. According to the district administration, the situation in the village is under control and police security continues to be deployed there. After the violence, Internet services were suspended in the western Maharashtra district. Asked when the Internet service will resume, district collector Jitendra Dudi said it is likely to be restored by Wednesday evening. So far, 19 people have been arrested in connection with the violence, a police official said.

One killed, ten injured in Satara clash; situation under control: Police

The incident took place in Satara's Pusesawali village on Sunday night following an objectionable social media post.

Haryana govt orders suspension of mobile Internet in Nuh, imposes Sec 144

The Haryana government on Saturday ordered the suspension of mobile Internet and bulk SMS services in the communally charged Nuh district till August 28 in view of a call for a 'shobha yatra'. The government announced the decision, apprehending the spread of rumours through social media ahead of or during Monday's rally. The Nuh authorities had recently denied permission to hold a religious procession in the district on August 28 after an earlier one in July was disrupted following communal violence. The order to suspend mobile Internet was issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) TVSN Prasad on Saturday. The district administration has also imposed Section 144 of the CrPC, prohibiting the assembly of four or more people in an area, as a precautionary measure. This order will be effective from August 26-28, said officials. During this period, no person will be allowed to carry weapons such as licensed firearms, lathis, axes and others. The Haryana government had earlier suspen

Mobile internet service restored in Haryana's Nuh two weeks after violence

Mobile internet service has been restored in Nuh district of Haryana, two weeks after it was suspended following communal clashes that claimed six lives, police said on Monday. According to the police, the service was restored Sunday midnight. Following the violence on July 31, mobile internet service was completely stopped by the government till 8 August. The suspension was subsequently extended till 13 August. Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the clashes that erupted in Nuh after a procession of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) was attacked by mobs on July 31 and spread to adjoining areas, including Gurugram. Following sustained efforts by the Nuh district administration to restore normalcy, markets are now open in the violence-affected areas and people are visiting them. Ten days after the violence, orders were given by the district magistrate to open all educational institutions. Schools are now functioning as usual. Students are busy preparing for .

Haryana clash: 393 held, ban of internet, SMS service in Nuh extended

The Haryana government on Friday extended till Sunday the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Nuh where conditions are "still critical and tense". A total of 393 people have been arrested and 118 taken into preventive detention in connection with the communal clashes in Haryana earlier this month. Besides, 160 FIRs have been registered in Nuh, Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, Rewari, Panipat, Bhiwani and Hisar, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said in a statement on Friday. Nuh Superintendent of Police Narender Bijarnia said that so far 59 FIRs have been registered in the district in connection with the Braj Mandal violence case and 218 people arrested. Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, have died in the clashes that erupted in Nuh over an attempt to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession and spread to Gurugram. Opposition parties in Haryana have alleged that the violence in Nuh was the result of the failure of the BJP-JJP dispensation in the ...

Internet ban to continue in Haryana's Nuh till August 8, govt announces

Haryana government on Sunday announced that mobile internet services will remain suspended in the Nuh district till August 8.The order passed by the Haryana Home Secretary stated that the conditions in the district remain critical and tense."Whereas, it has been brought to my notice by Deputy Commissioner Nub that the law and order situation has been reviewed and the conditions are still critical and tense in the district," the statement said. And whereas, after assessment of the current prevailing law & order situation as well as the recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner, Nuh, I am of the considered view that there is a clear potential of disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order in district Nuh on account of misuse of Internet services by way of spread of inflammatory material and false rumours, which are being/could be transmitted/circulated to the public through social media/ messaging services on mobile

Suspension of mobile internet, SMS services in Nuh, Palwal extended

The Haryana government on Saturday extended the suspension of mobile internet service in Nuh and Palwal districts till August 8, according to an official order. Suspension of SMS services in these two districts has been extended till 5 pm on August 7, it said. Mobile internet and SMS services were suspended after clashes erupted in Nuh on July 31 over an attempt to stop a Vishva Hindu Parishad procession and spread to Gurugram and other districts of the state. Six people have died in the clashes. The order to extend the suspension was issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home), T V S N Prasad, on Saturday evening. The Haryana government had earlier suspended mobile internet and SMS services and later extended till August 5. "This order is extended to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of district Nuh and shall be in force up to 08.08.2023 (23:59 hrs)," it stated. "It has been brought to my notice by the deputy commissioners of Nuh that the ...

Manipur govt partially withdraws internet ban; phone data remains suspended

The Manipur government on Tuesday lifted the suspension on broadband internet conditionally in a "liberalised manner", nearly three months after it was banned due to the ethnic violence in the state. However, mobile internet will remain suspended, the Home Department said in a notification. "Connection will be only through static IP and that the subscriber concerned shall not accept any other connection other than allowed for the time being [TSP/ISP shall be held responsible for non-compliance of this condition]," it said. "No Wifi Hotspots shall be allowed from any of the routers and systems using the connection at any cost by the subscriber concerned," it said. The government has considered the suffering of the people as the internet ban affected offices and institutions, and people working from home, besides mobile recharge, LPG cylinder booking, payment of electricity bills, and other online services, the order said. It said the suspension on broadband internet has been lifted

SC dismisses plea by 2 residents against internet shutdown in Manipur

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea by two Manipur residents against repeated internet shutdowns in the state rocked by ethnic violence and gave them the liberty to approach the high court on the matter. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra noted that a division bench of the Manipur High Court is already seized of the matter in which an expert committee was formed and directed to examine whether internet could be restored in the state. Advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the petitioners, submitted that the matter concerned the internet ban in Manipur. "At this stage, faced with the fact that a petition under Article 226 is pending before the high court, Mr Farasat seeks permission to withdraw and intervene in a pending matter or file an independent petition before HC. We grant him permission to do so leaving all rights and contentions open," the bench said. The top court was hearing a plea filed by ...

Internet shutdowns cost $1.9 bn to Indian economy in Jan-Jun 2023: Report

Internet shutdowns by law enforcement agencies like the one in Manipur and Punjab cost USD 1.9 billion to the Indian economy in the first half of 2023, a report said on Thursday. The shutdowns also led to a loss of nearly USD 118 million in foreign investment and triggered over 21,000 job losses, the global non-profit Internet Society said in its report 'Netloss'. The non-profit arrived at the financial impact of the shutdown going beyond the loss of output and included factors like change in the unemployment rate, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) lost, risks of future shutdowns, population in the working age etc. Governments often mistakenly believe that internet shutdowns will quell unrest, stop the spread of misinformation, or reduce harm from cybersecurity threats. But shutdowns are extremely disruptive to economic activity, the report said. India's regular use of shutdowns as a tool to maintain public order gives India a shutdown risk of 16 per cent so far this year, one of the

Cost of India's internet shutdowns in 2023 already exceeds 2022 levels

India has the third-largest global losses due to internet shutdowns so far this year

India's frequent internet shutdowns hurt its most impoverished, says report

Officials often resort to such closures to stem protests, check communal violence, maintain law and order and even to prevent cheating in school and university exams

Internet services suspended, 43 detained in Sambalpur over communal clashes

A flag march is expected to be held soon in all sensitive areas by the police as a show of strength and to deter possible violence in the city, officials said

Internet services to resume except in some districts, says Punjab govt

The Punjab government on Tuesday extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur and Amritsar's Ajnala sub-division and a few areas in Mohali till Thursday noon. The curbs will be lifted from the rest of the state from Tuesday noon, the department of home affairs and justice said in an order. " it is directed that all mobile internet services (2G/3G/45/5G/CDMA/GPRS), all SMS services (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice calls, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab shall continue to remain suspended from March 21 (12.00 hours) to March 23 (12.00 hours) only in the districts Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Moga, Sangrur, sub-division Ajnala in Amritsar, areas adjoining YPS chowk and airport road, both in SAS Nagar in continuation of this office order no 1781 dated March 20 in the interest of public safety, to prevent any incitement to violence and to prevent any ...

Amid Amritpal's arrest, Punjab govt suspends internet services till Tues

The Punjab government extended the suspension of mobile internet and SMS services till Tuesday noon even as the hunt for the Khalistan sympathizer Amritpal Singh continued for the third day. The state authorities had on Saturday suspended the internet and SMS services in the state till Sunday noon. Later, the curbs were extended till Monday noon. According to the latest order of the Home Affairs department and Justice on Monday, .it is directed that all mobile internet services (2G/3G/45/5G/CDMA/GPRS), all SMS services (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice calls, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab shall be further suspended from March 20 (12.00 hours) to March 21 (12.00 hours) in the interest of public safety, to prevent any incitement to violence and to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order. The broadband services are not being suspended so that banking facilities, hospital services and othe

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Internet shutdowns must be minimised

With 84 internet shutdowns in 2022, India tops the list fifth time in a row

With 49 shutdowns to its credit, Jammu and Kashmir experienced the most shutdowns in 2022

Musk deploys 'Starlink' in Iran after govt restricts internet amid protests

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has deployed his satellite-based 'Starlink' service in Iran amid widespread protests in the country following which authorities had restricted internet access.Iranian authorities had cut off internet access for many of its citizens on Wednesday amid widespread protests over the death of a 22-year-old woman, Mahsa Amini, in police custody, according to reports.On Friday, SpaceX founder Elon Musk had indicated that he will make Starlink available in Iran.US State Secretary Antony Blinken earlier announced on Twitter aboout advancing internet freedom and the free flow of information for the Iranian people by issuing a General License to provide them greater access to digital communications to counter, what he claimed, was the Iranian government's censorship.Replying to Blinken's tweet, Musk wrote, "Activating Starlink ...."Protestors have been demanding basic rights of freedom and holding demonstrations against the mandatory dress codes including the compulsory ...

Iran restricts internet as protests over Mahsa Amini's death intensify

Iranian authorities on Saturday announced to restrict internet access in the country over intensified protests after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after her arrest