Barring Pulwama district, cellular services restored in Valley

SRINAGAR — The cellular services were restored by the government on Friday evening after remaining suspended for three days in the Valley. However, the internet services across Kashmir continued to remain suspended across the Valley as a precautionary measure.

People–mostly students, professionals, traders and media persons–suffered badly as cellular and mobile internet services of all companies remained suspended for the third successive day due to security reasons in Kashmir.

The services were suspended on Wednesday after top Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Riyaz Naikoo and three other militants were killed in two separate encounters in the south Kashmir district of Pulwama.

Only Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) mobile phone and landline services were working in the Valley, where curfew-like restrictions remained imposed in some areas to maintain law and order.

However, the government on late Friday evening restored the cellular services across Kashmir barring Pulwama district while it continued to suspend the internet services as a precautionary measure.

The consumers said that the services were restored in Kashmir, but stated that some cellular services are yet to restore services. The services were not restored in Pulwama district when the report was last filed.

Official sources said that mobile internet services of all cellular companies, including BSNL, remained suspended since Wednesday morning as a precautionary measure. “Barring BSNL, mobile phone service of other telecom operators also remained suspended in the Valley,” they said.

In a major success, security forces on Wednesday killed Riyaz Naikoo besides three other militants in two separate encounters in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

Fearing deterioration of law and order situation, authorities suspended mobile phone and internet services in the Valley.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar had on Thursday said that the communication services in Kashmir will be restored soon.