Internet was restored in Odisha’s Keonjhar district on Thursday, 48 hours after it was suspended following a clash between two communities in the mining town of Joda in the district. Those in the offices of Keonjhar Superintendent of Police Mitrabhanu Mahapatra and of District Collector Ashish Thakare confirmed to MediaNama that internet services was restored in the district on Thursday. However, they also added that if needed, Internet services can again be rescinded in the future. Mahapatra and Thakra themselves were not available for a comment on the matter. Mahapatra had told the Times of India that internet services were temporarily suspended on Tuesday as a precautionary measure though the situation was under control. The ToI report also that nine platoon forces were deployed in Joda town where clashes erupted over not allowing a religious procession by a group of people. The report also added that Section 144 CrPC was also enforced in the town. Ramdhar Sahu, a grocery store owner in Keonjhar also confirmed that internet services were now available in the area, and that it had been restored on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. https://twitter.com/NetShutdowns/status/1514505607105052672?s=20&t=mbnN2tZM1ZFUITo-4jn_mQ IFF expresses concern with the shutdown In its judgement, the Supreme Court had held that access to the internet enjoyed constitutional protection as it was a medium to exercise the right to freedom of speech and expression as well as the right to practice a trade or profession. The economic cost that comes with internet shutdowns in India was estimated to…
