‘High turnout in DDC polls not gone well with anti-national elements’: J&K govt extends ban on 4G till Jan 8

Srinagar:  Ending speculations, Jammu and Kashmir government has extended the ban on 4G internet in 18 districts till January 8.

The government said the high voter turnout in the recently concluded DDC polls has not gone well with elements inimical to peace.

 “The successful conduct of the recently concluded Panchayat elections which witnessed participation by political parties across the spectrum and large scale turnout has not gone down well with elements inimical to public peace and tranquility as apparent from the multiple incidents of hurling of grenades by the (militants since the conclusion of the elections, targeting the civilians, police personnel/security forces the encounter with the security forces,” said the order issued by the J&K Home Department on Friday.

 The government said that there are credible inputs have been received about the presence of a large number of militants “who are trying to infiltrate from across the border, as also evident from multiple instances of heavy firing shelling on the IB/ LOC to facilitate the same.”

 It said the restrictions on high-speed mobile internet connectivity have acted as an impediment to such attempts. Subsequently, the government ordered an extension in the ban on high-speed internet in all but Ganderbal and Udhampur district till January 8.

 “The IGPs of  Kashmir and Jammu shall communicate these directions to the service providers forthwith and ensure their implementation in letter and spirit,” the order added.