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Mobile internet services blocked in Kashmir amid seething anger against Handwara deaths

by IBNS 13 Apr 2016, 10:23 pm

Srinagar, Apr 14 (IBNS) Amid anger and grief still running high over the deaths of four people in firing by security forces, authorities on Thursday blocked the mobile internet services in parts of north Kashmir to check the spread of rumours.

“Internet services have been snapped on all cellular networks and step have been taken to check spread of rumours,” a senior police official to IBNS. 

The Internet suspension is temporary and services will be restored as soon as the situation returns to normal, the official added. 

Mobile Internet services like WhatsApp, Facebook are not available in Srinagar, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts of the Valley since Thursday morning.  

"Kashmir has witnessed internet blockade several times as a measure to spread the check of rumours  when situation worsened," the official added.

Four persons have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces in north Kashmir's Kupwara district since Tuesday.

The protests erupted after locals alleged that a soldier had tried to molest a school girl in Handwara town, which the army refuted by releasing a video in which the girl does not mention about any soldier, but says a boy grabbed her bag and abused her when she went to the washroom of the school.

The police say security forces opened fire when some 500 protesters surrounded the main army post, started throwing stones and tried to burn it.

Nayeem Butt, a promising cricketer, 70-year-old Raja Begum and Mohammad Iqbal, 21, were killed in the firing.

Another man died in Kupwara after being hit on the head by a tear gas shell.

A curfew was imposed in Srinagar, Handwara and neighboring villages to check the escalation of violence.

 




(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)