Hours after being restored, SMS services blocked in J&K

SMS services were stopped as a “precautionary measure” barely a few hours after post-paid mobile services were restored in Kashmir on Monday after a gap of 70-days.

An official said SMS services were stopped on Monday evening as there was an apprehension that it may be misused by anti-national elements to create trouble.

Over 40 lakh post-paid mobile phones were functional on Monday noon, but without any internet facility. However, more than 25 lakh prepaid mobile phones and other internet services, including WhatsApp, remain deactivated for now.

Governor Satya Pal Malik said on Monday that internet services would be resumed soon, but officials in the security establishment maintain that there was no chance by year end.

Unprecedented restrictions were imposed across Kashmir on August 5 when Centre scrapped Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (UTs). Internet and mobile phone services on both post and prepaid phones were snapped on all networks on the same day.

The communication blockade put people of Kashmir to a lot of hardships.