Telecom crisis surfacing in Kashmir raises panic among valleyites
The telecom employees have also become insecure about their lives and jobs in the wake of the attacks.
Valleyites are vexed and inconvenienced due to partial network breakdown in the cellular services following several incidents of attacks on the mobile towers and telecom franchises in Kashmir.
The telecom crisis in the valley began after militants attacked cellular companies and their employees in the Apple town of Sopore last week. Two persons were killed in the area, and, simultaneously threats were issued to telecom operators by an unknown outfit, Lashkar-e-Islami, which has caused the breakdown of mobile network.
Apart from Sopore town, where people are bereft of recharge services, other areas in the valley are also facing the problem with people associated with the maintenance of mobile towers not willing to attend them.
An unidentified man on Monday lobbed a grenade on a mobile tower in Habba Kadal locality of Shehr-e-Khaas injuring a man, and, causing concerns among valleyites about an expected inevitable disruption in the mobile services. Many owners have also removed the signboards of telecom companies from their shops owing to the threat from militant groups.
Terming it a “temporary phase” , Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed last week said, “The situation in North Kashmir is a temporary phase. People here have gone through such hardships in the past, but these incidents would not stop us from bringing peace in the Valley”. Mufti, however, has now directed DGP to take all possible steps to thwart any attempt to disrupt cellular networks in the valley and provide security to mobile tower installations and owners.
“Cellular networks have become lifeline as these services are availed by all sections of the society,” the Chief Minister said.
The police and security officials have beefed up the security services in and around the telecom offices and mobile towers to continue the telecom services. Besides, the telecom employees have also become insecure about their lives and jobs in the wake of the attacks.
Stating that the people cannot be pushed back into ‘Stone-age’, Mufti added, “The miscreants cannot be allowed to take law into their own hands and police should deal sternly with such elements.”
According to reports, a militant outfit had installed an advanced IT device, Repeater, on a mobile tower, which helped them to make calls via Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP). The device, which helped the militant groups to make higher frequency calls, is estimated to be worth crores of rupees.
Reports also suggest that in order to safeguard the telecom services, locations within the precincts of security forces are being identified for mobile tower installations.
