4G services may be restored soon in remaining 18 districts of J&K

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, on Thursday gave hints on restoration of high speed 4G internet services in the remaining eighteen districts of the Union Territory (UT) soon.

“I know 4G is working in just two districts of J&K. There is a committee examining the issue. Hopefully, there will be good news soon in the coming days,” he said while replying a question at a press conference in winter capital Jammu. 

J&K witnessed a complete communication blackout for weeks after the Centre stripped it of its special status and split it up into two UTs on August 5, 2019. Though landline and mobile phone services have been restored fully, the high speed internet services continue to remain suspended in 18 out of the twenty districts of the UT. 

Even 2G bandwidth services are frequently suspended at places on the pretext of law and order issues, causing huge inconvenience to people particularly students, traders and media persons. 4G services were restored in two districts -Udhampur and Ganderbal- a few months ago "on experimental basis" following Supreme Court's observations on the issue. 

Replying another question, Mr. Sinha said that he was aware of the conflicting versions put forth by the Army and J&K police and the families of three Valley youth on purported encounter that took place in Srinagar's Lawaypora last week and that he will come up with facts on it at appropriate time.

He said, "Let me tell you that J&K is a very sensitive place. I have noted all versions including that of the (security) forces and the families (of the slain youth). I will come up with facts before you at an appropriate time.” 

Major General H.S. Sahi, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the Army's counterinsurgency Kilo Force, had told reporters here last week  that the slain were militants "who were planning a big strike on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway to gain publicity." He also claimed that weapons including an AK-47 assault rifle, two pistols and a few hand grenades were found on them after they were killed in an encounter at Lawaypora.

But the families of the youth Aijaz Maqbool Ganai, Athar Mushtaq Wani and Zubair Ahmed Lone have questioned the Army’s claim and termed it a fake encounter in which "our innocent children were brutally murdered." They claimed that the youth-two being students and the third a mason by profession- had suddenly disappeared after leaving their respective homes in twin districts of south Kashmir on December 29 morning.

They have demanded a fair and transparent probe into the killings and also asked for the mortal remains of the trio to enable them to give them a decent burial.