Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, May 28: Police today said that they have got vital leads in attacks on telecoms in Sopore area of North Kashmir and are restoring the telecom network soon.
The Inspector General of Police, Kashmir range, SJM Gillani told Excelsior: “The cellular services are down in Sopore area and we are trying to restore them in a couple of days.” He said that services are running but not to full potential.
The IGP said that it is not possible for the security forces to provide security to every tower but he assured the general area security. “We can’t provide security to the towers but there will be general area security”, he said.
Gillani said that police have got vital leads about the attacks on telecoms and Hizbul Mujahideen local group is behind it. “We have got leads and it is local Hizbul Mujahideen group which is doing it. We have made certain arrests in this connection”, he added.
The IGP said that there are 190 towers in Sopore area and 700 in Baramulla district which is the area of concern presently. He said that they are assessing how many towers are affected and other details.
DIG North Kashmir, Gareeb Dass told Excelsior that he had a fresh review meeting this evening and they are evolving a strategy to deal with the telecom attacks. “We have devised strategy to deal with it. We have detained some people. We will restore the network in shortest possible time”, he added.
The General Officer Commanding Chinar Corps, Lt Gen Subrata Saha told reporters on the sidelines of a function at Soibugh in that the attack on telecoms in North Kashmir is a new challenge for them. “It is certainly a new challenge that has emerged in security grid. We are looking into every angle of it and seeing what could be the possible motive and who could be the people who are indulging in this,” he said.
Lt General Saha said: “We have some indications. Obviously we would not like to disclose it to media yet. There is involvement of militants in this and beyond this I would not like to comment. As you are aware this is something that has been criticized by all quarters of people. I am sure the situation will be stabilized.”
In the meantime, after last night’s attack in Pattan, more towers were shut down leading to more communication breakdown in Sopore area of North Kashmir.
The threatening posters warning telecom employees re-surfaced today. The posters asked the operators to wind up their business.
The posters of Laskhar-e-Islam appeared in several localities of Sopore including Arampora. The posters once again asked people associated with telecommunication companies to wind up their business or “they would be killed”. The warning has also been issued to the people hosting mobile towers and the group has threatened them with death if they don’t stop operations of these towers.
Follow our WhatsApp channel