All private telecom companies in Jammu and Kashmir have been asked to block their services, both Internet and voice, for a day starting today evening “as a precautionary measure” due to the widespread unrest in the state, as indicated by this PTI report. All prepaid services offered by BSNL have been suspended for a day, as per the report. Sources told PTI that the decision to suspend mobile services has been taken “to prevent anti-national elements from spreading any misinformation”. However MediaNama checked that voice and SMS services were still active on Aircel in parts of Jammu. Mobile Internet services were blocked in Jammu and Kashmir since Sunday following the killing of militant Burhan Wani by security forces. Restrictions on mobile Internet were placed in districts of Pulwama and in the towns of Ananatnag, Shopian, Pulgam and Sopore,. However at that time, MediaNama had learnt that services were disrupted even in some parts of Jammu. Mobile Internet services were cut off in Jammu and neighbouring districts following violent protests in the region over a temple descration in June. Internet services were suspended in five districts in Kashmir in April due to protests over the death of 4 people in clashes with the security forces. In September 2015, Jammu and Kashmir had suspended Internet services for two days following apprehensions of violence in the state in light of the beef ban in the state. This is the second longest period since September 2015, when mobile Internet services were cut off in Gujarat for a week…
