Srinagar: Except for the twin districts of Srinagar and Budgam, cellular internet services were restored in Kashmir on Monday evening even as baring parts of Srinagar normalcy returned elsewhere after four days.
“The cellular internet services have been restored in eight districts this evening,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar, said Monday evening. “In Srinagar and Budgam districts it has not been restored,” he said.
The Kashmir Police chief said that on Tuesday there will be a review meeting regarding restoration of mobile internet services in Srinagar and Budgam.
The blockade on Internet and voice calling services was imposed in Kashmir as a precautionary measure after the death of senior separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday night.
The voice calling and broadband Internet was later restored on Friday as the situation remained peaceful in the aftermath of Geelani’s death. However, the cellular internet services continued to remain suspended.
The authorities on Sunday had extended the mobile internet blockade up to September 6 amid signs of improvement in the situation, four days after Geelani’s death.
According to an order, the law enforcement agencies had apprehended “misuse of data services for rumour mongering, circulation of fake news, instigation for violence, etc”.
It said that while the situation has by and large remained peaceful, there have been “sporadic incidents” at some places.
Meanwhile, normal life remained affected for the fifth day on Monday as authorities imposed restrictions in parts of the city. However, elsewhere in Kashmir life returned to normal.
“Restrictions have been imposed around Hyderpora and Eidgah areas of the city as a precautionary measure,” officials said here. “We have apprehensions that miscreants might attempt to disrupt prevailing peace.”
Sources said that all roads leading to Eidgah and Hyderpora were barricaded and drones used for maintaining overhead vigil.
Markets and shops opened partially in Srinagar particularly in the business hub of Lal Chowk, while public transport also resumed in many parts.
In the Old City, some areas continued to remain shut. “Normal life is still affected. From Nowhatta, Hawal and Eidgah side, the shops remained mostly closed while most of them from Khanyar, Rainawari and Khayam side opened today,” officials said.
Sources said that in north, south and central Kashmir, life was almost normal. “The shops were open and traffic plied normally on roads,” they said.
However, to thwart any attempt of disruption of peace, authorities have deployed security forces in strength across Kashmir. “The situation remained peaceful throughout the day,” IGP Kashmir said. “People are cooperating in maintaining the peace.”