Mobile Internet snapped in Shopian, Pulwama over resignation videos

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, September 23

The authorities on Saturday evening suspended mobile Internet services in Shopian and Pulwama districts in a bid to curb circulation of videos by policemen, wherein they announce their resignations, over social media platforms.

The services are yet to be restored. Though the police have been tight-lipped about the services being snapped, sources confirmed that the mobile Internet was curtailed to prevent these videos from going viral. Security agencies say that majority of the videos and threats to cops on social media are emerging from Pulwama and Shopian. More than 30 policemen, most of them special police officers, have so far announced their resignation through videos, which they uploaded over social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp.

The resignations came tumbling hours after three police, abducted by militants on Thursday night, were shot dead on Friday morning. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), however, termed the news of resignations as “false propaganda”.

“The Jammu and Kashmir Police have confirmed that these reports are untrue and motivated,” an MHA statement read. Also, Dilbag Singh, Director General of Police (DGP), refuted the “rumours”. Despite the MHA and the police chief coming out strongly on the issue on Friday, the resignations continued to come briskly throughout the day on Saturday. “That is why the Internet has been curtailed in the most affected districts of Shopian and Pulwama,” highly placed police sources confirmed. With the Internet shut down, the resignations are still coming by, but in trickles.