This year has witnessed more than a few instances of internet services being suspended in several states such as Telangana, Haryana, and Rajasthan. Internet services were restored in the Baran district of Rajasthan, a day after a curfew was imposed, and net connectivity was suspended following the murder of a teenage boy, Rajasthan Police confirmed to MediaNama. At a time when the internet is such an intrinsic part of citizens' lives, a shutdown in connectivity, either due to political reasons or as a measure to contain the after-effects of crime, causes a massive disruption and can be termed as a curb on freedom of expression. These issues have been debated heavily ever since communication services were suspended in Jammu and Kashmir on August 4, 2019, a day before the Indian Parliament abrogated Article 370 that gave special status to the state. 4G services were restored in parts of the Union Territory, nearly a year after it was suspended. The incident: Azad, a resident of Shramik Colony in Talab Para area of Baran was allegedly killed on Saturday evening by a group over a year-old dispute, a PTI report said, adding that the police has named one Hemant Rathore as the prime accused in the case. A CCTV footage of the murder which showed a man raining blows and shooting at the apparently lifeless body of Azad in the middle of the day on a busy street was widely circulated on social media platforms. The police have dismissed any communal angle…
