Internet withdrawn 36 hours after restoration in parts of Jammu region

Amit Khajuria
Tribune News Service
Jammu, August 18

The J&K administration on Sunday withdrew 2G mobile internet services once again —36 hours after the service was restored in five districts of the Jammu region.

The administration had on Friday night restored slow-speed mobile internet, after a 12-day shutdown, in the five districts –Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi.

The residents of these districts of Jammu region were in for a shock when they realised that internet stopped working around 11 am on Sunday morning.

Residents started calling each other to confirm the development, only to conclude the service had been snapped again.

However, the administration is keeping mum on the issue, calling it: “A technical glitch”.

“It is a technical glitch, as the 2G technology is an outdated technology. Telecom companies are working on it, it will be restored,” said Sanjeev Verma, Divisional Commissioner.

However, telecom operators told The Tribune that there is no technical glitch and they were asked by the authorities to suspend the services till further orders.

“Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu has issued the order to withdraw the services without mentioning any reason for it. We received the order at about 11 in the morning and all the mobile internet services were withdrawn within 15 minutes,” said a source working in a telecom company.

Jammu IG Mukesh Singh in a statement, however, reiterated that the 2G network disconnected due to technical reasons and will be rectified at the earliest. 

The sudden suspension of mobile internet has triggered rumors of untoward incidents in the Kashmir valley and other parts of Jammu region.

The administration, however, has said that the situation is peaceful and under control across the state.

Singh said that even though there have been several rumours, no untoward incident had occurred in Rajouri or Gujjar Nagar.

“There is also a rumour regarding a strike in Jammu due to which there are long queues at petrol pumps. I would like to inform all the citizens through the media that all such rumours are false,” he added.