Mobile internet services at 2G speed were restored in theKashmir valley, except Pulwama and Shopian districts, hours after the SupremeCourt ruled out immediate restoration of 4G services in Jammu and Kashmir.
2G internet services on mobile platforms were restored ineight of the 10 districts of Kashmir late on Monday night. The services weresuspended in the wake of the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Riyaz Naikoo inan encounter with security forces in Pulwama district last Wednesday.
Ordering restoration of 2G internet services, PrincipalSecretary, Home Shaleen Kabra maintained that high-speed internet can be usedby inimical elements to coordinate attacks or incite people by circulatingpropaganda material.
The Supreme Court on Monday, while refusing to issue ordersfor restoration of 4G services on mobile devices in Jammu and Kashmir, directedformation of a special committee to address the contentions raised by thepetitioners.
All internet services were snapped in the erstwhile state ofJammu and Kashmir on August 4 last year, hours before the Centre announced thedecision to bifurcate the state into the Union territories of Jammu andKashmir, and Ladakh.
The internet services have since been restored in a phasedmanner, but the speed is extremely slow, which inhibits exchange of large fileslike videos, high-resolution pictures and live-streaming of educationalclasses.