Srinagar, Feb 16: The JK Police on Thursday issued an official statement justifying its recent move asking recharge vendors and franchises of various telecom companies to maintain record book of customers.
 In the statement the police provided a few cases wherein it claimed the SIM cards had been misused to ‘commit crimes’ and for ‘creating panic among the general public’
 The statement came in the backdrop of newspapers reports in which recharge providers have threatened to stop the services citing certain directives from the Police to furnish details of their customers.
 The statement has quoted cases from 2009 and 2010 in Sadder Police Station in which the SIM card was misused to create panic and fear among public and misinformation was spread under new guidelines JK police had directed the recharge vendors in the valley to maintain a record book of customers on which all the particulars including customers name, cell number, recharge amount and address would be registered.
 However, the move has drawn wide spread criticism from public while some called it ‘a tool to harass owners’. “How can customers, often strange to us, believe us and would furnish all the details,” they said.
 “A meeting of Recharge providers was held with the senior Police officers where in they were advised to keep proper records of the customers who recharge their SIM cards from them. They were also advised to mail the details of such customers after every fortnight as the responsible and law abiding citizen,” the statement said.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 IST