Srinagar: Mobile internet was suspended in two districts of Pir Panjal region on Wednesday (February 7) in the aftermath of sporadic protests against the Lok Sabha’s approval to a controversial reservation bill that grants tribal status to Jammu and Kashmir’s Paharis, a linguistic minority.
Witnesses said that security deployment was beefed up in Pir Panjal on Wednesday with gun-toting police and paramilitary personnel setting up checkpoints at some places in Poonch and Rajouri districts amid apprehensions of protests by the tribal Gujjar and Bakkerwal communities against the bill.
Although there was no official announcement about the suspension of mobile internet service in the two districts, a PTI report quoting government sources said that the decision was a “precautionary measure to check rumour-mongering and prevent people from creating any law and order problem”.
Gates closed
The Union territory administration also prevented the former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah from addressing a party rally in the region on Wednesday, said Imran Nabi Dar, a National Conference (NC) spokesperson.
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