Excelsior Special Correspondent
Srinagar, May 5: Militants have threatened the staff of the cellular companies in Sopore after a communication device which they had reportedly installed on an Airtel tower in the militancy infested town went missing.
According to reports, militants had installed some communication equipment on an Airtel tower at Badami Bagh in Sopore area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district which went missing.
Reports said that on Friday at 4 pm, two militants barged into Airtel show room at General Bus Stand and snatched cell phones of the staff. They were seeking information about missing device which they might have installed on the tower in Badami Bagh area of Sopore. However, they returned their cell phones and left not before threatening them.
The same group of militants later went to Vodafone office at Water Tank in Sopore and sought information about the missing communication equipment. They also threatened the employees there.
Later, they went to Aircel office at Main Chowk Sopore with same inquiry and snatched a laptop and I-card of an employee. They also beat Manager of the showroom and were reportedly carrying pistols.
All the showrooms of the cellular companies are closed since Friday after the incident as militants have directed them not to open them.
Reports said that the cellular companies have not registered any complaint with the police. However, police is investigating about the device which was installed by the militants and who stole it.
The device must have been installed by some expert who is either a militant or working with the militants.
Sources said that militants might have installed some communication device which would have boosted the internet facility as they don’t use cell phones for communication after they were being traced through them. They mostly rely on internet for communication.
They are using improved communication technologies which is difficult for security agencies to detect. Their reliance on radio sets and cell phones is a bare minimal. A lot of the communication is happening on Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) and over Skype. For this they need internet facility.
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