Mobile internet services in seven districts of Meghalaya have been suspended for 48 hours following a firing incident, according to ANI. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma confirmed that six persons, including one Assam forest official, were killed in the incident, which happened at Mukroh in West Jaintia Hills, on the Assam-Meghalaya border. "The injured have been rushed to the hospital and an inquest is being conducted. An FIR has been registered by Meghalaya police," said Sangma. Why was the internet suspended?: The Assam government's notification shared by the Times Of India said that police headquarters in Meghalaya's Shillong received reports that an "untoward incident" has occurred, which can potentially disturb peace and tranquillity, and cause a threat to public safety. "Messaging systems like WhatsApp and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc. are likely to be used for transmission of information through pictures, videos and text, having the potential to cause serious breakdown of law and order," states the notification. Meghalaya's home police department subsequently "promulgated" the notification under the provisions of Section 5 (ii) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, read with the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017, to prohibit "Mobile internet / Data services of all mobile service providers". The notification also said that a violation of this promulgation will be "punishable under section 188 of the IPC [Indian Penal Code] and also under the relevant provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885". https://twitter.com/timesofindia/status/1594982870065774594?s=20&t=VfWneOmqerb2LKGLkSXIVw Why it matters: MediaNama previously reported that…
