Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 30: Jammu and Kashmir Police have formed special teams to crack and prevent the telecom attacks in North Kashmir even as fear over telecom issue gripped in South Kashmir and Srinagar where some telecom franchise have closed down their showrooms.
Militants tonight hurled a grenade on a cell phone tower in North Kashmir’s Handwara town to blow it up. Police said that militants targeted the tower near Sub-District Hospital Handwara. However, there was no damage to the tower.
Police and Army reached the spot to assess the situation. They cordoned off the area and conducted searches but no arrests were made. This is the fifth attack on telecoms during last one week in which 2 people were killed and three others were injured.
Director General of Police, K Rajendra told reporters that police has worked out a strategy to restore the telecom network in North Kashmir. He, however, said that it may take some time.
“Yesterday, I visited Sopore and held review meeting with the officers and stakeholders. Civilians, businessmen and children have been affected. We worked out a strategy to deal with it”, said Rajendra.
The Police chief said that they are investigating telecom attacks. He said that they have taken notice of the telecom shops shutdown in Anantnag and parts of Srinagar.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir range, Gareeb Dass, told reporters that police has constituted special teams that have spread in Baramulla district to crack the telecom attacks. He said that one of the cases out of four attacks on telecoms has been solved by the Sopore Police and those involved in the grenade attack on a tower last week have been arrested.
Dass said that police have set up internet facility at SP office in Sopore and Baramulla and DIG Baramulla office for the students who have to apply for jobs and admission in various courses online. “This is a temporary arrangement till the telecom services are restored”, he added.
In the meantime, the cellphone franchise closed their shops in Anantnag town and Srinagar’s old city due to panic. Majority of the showrooms in Anantnag were shut today as North Kashmir attacks and posters caused panic in the town.
In Srinagar’s old city area some telecoms remained closed due to fear following North Kashmir attacks on telecoms.
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