'Hizbul threatening people working in telecom sector'

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday held militant outfit Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) responsible for the killings and threatening of people associated with telecommunication sector in north Kashmir’s Sopore town.

A series of attacks on telecommunication offices, towers and killing of two persons including an employee of BSNL franchisee outlet by unidentified gunmen in Sopore has created panic in the area.

Interestingly, militant groups and separatists have distanced themselves from the threats issued by hitherto unknown outfit ‘Lashkar-e-Islam.’

Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir S J M Gilani while holding HM directly responsible for the killings and threatening said the telecommunication services will be restored shortly in Sopore

“We are in touch with all the stakeholders including the officials of cellular companies, landlords and shopkeepers and within days telecommunication system will be restored in the town,” he told reporters.

“Whatever is happening in Sopore town is the handiwork of HM. There is no doubt in this fact that Hizbul is responsible for the two killings in Sopore. The Pattan attack was also the handiwork of the same group of HM militants. Distancing themselves from the killings through statements is not going to absolve them,” he said.

There has been a communication breakdown in militancy infested Sopore town and its adjoining areas as all the towers of the private cellular companies have become non-operational after the threat from unknown gunmen to cellular companies to windup their business in the town.

Sources told Deccan Herald that at least 35 people have been picked up by police for questioning. “Most of the people who have been called to police station for questioning include the former militants and those youth who have previously been arrested for stone-pelting charges,” they said.

Reports said that after the attacks, the employees who were working with private cellular companies have left their jobs.

Meanwhile, in north Kashmir’s Pattan town, the cellular towers also have gone defunct as a result the town witnessed communication breakdown like in Sopore. Unknown gunmen had struck on Wednesday evening injuring Imtiyaz Ahmed who had provided land to a cellular company to install tower. Though, Imtiyaz survived and was discharged from the hospital on Thursday afternoon, the attack created panic among other landlords who forced cellular companies to make the towers non-operational.

Reports said the landlords whose land has been used for cellular towers in Sopore and Pattan have appealed telecom companies to dismantle them.