Mobile internet back in Kargil after 144 days

SRINAGAR: On Friday, 144 days after mobile internet services were suspended across Jammu & Kashmir, and days after 72 companies of Central Armed Police Forces were withdrawn from the region, mobile internet was restored in the Kargil district of the new Union Territory of Ladakh. Government officials said the mobile internet was restored in the morning on Friday. “Broadband was already working here. Mobile internet services were also restored in the morning in Kargil and Drass areas,”one of the officials added on condition of anonymity.

On August 5, after Indian Parliament passed laws and resolutions to split Jammu & Kashmir into two union territories, and scrapped constitutional provisions that gave the region special status and its residents special privileges, internet access in the erstwhile state was cut, amid other restrictions.

Extra security forces were deployed and a security blanket shrouded the region. Since then, many of the restrictions have been eased although local leaders including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti remain in detention.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) withdrew 72 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFS) from J&K. “The ministry has decided to withdraw 72 companies of CAPFS (Central Reserve Police Force-24, Boder Security Force-12, Indo-tibetan Border Police-12, Central Industrial Security Froce-12 and Sashastra Seema Bal-12) with immediate effect from Jammu and Kashmir,” the ministry said.

Mobile services and broadband access are now available in Jammu and Ladakh but not in Kashmir Valley. Even in the Valley, though, post-paid mobile connections work. “There is a possibility that broadband will be restored in phased manner in Kashmir as well,” the official cited above said.

On Thursday, BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said that internet services will also be restored in Kashmir after a security assessment.