Ten days after restoring 2G mobile internet service in Kashmir valley, J&K Director General of Police (DGP) on Wednesday said that militants were using VPN apps to contact their handlers in Pakistan.
“2G mobile internet service was restored for the convenience of the people. But, militants are misusing the service and connecting VPN to contact their handlers in Pakistan,” Mr Singh, flanked by Special Director General (DGP) of CRPF Zulfiqar Hasan and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar, told reporters during a press conference here on Wednesday.
He said the truck driver, who was ferrying militants from Jammu to Kashmir before they were intercepted and killed at Nagrota, was using VPN to connect with his handlers in Pakistan. “The driver had on January 31 had clicked photograph of the encounter and sent it to Pakistan as evidence that they have been intercepted by security forces,” he said.
Mr Singh said the driver identified as Sameer Ahmed Dar, cousin of the Pulwama suicide bomber Adil Dar, reveled these details during interrogation. Sameer was arrested by J&K Police while trying to escape from the Nagrota encounter site in which three Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants were killed.
The DGP said Sameer also communicated with his handlers about reaching to the spot on January 31 in Jammu where he was waiting for the militants, who had infiltrated into this side.
As the gag on social media sites, including Facebook and whatsapp, continued despite restoration of 2G mobile internet services in the valley on January 25, VPN apps are in a huge demand, particularly with youngsters, to access these platforms.
Meanwhile, gag on high speed mobile internet of all Cellular companies besides broadband and fixed line internet continued in Kashmir valley since August 5, when centre scrapped Article 370 and 35 A, besides downgraded and divided the state into two Union Territories (UTs).
Following directions by the SC the UT government restored 2G mobile internet service in the valley on pre and post paid mobile phones on January 25. However, government listed 300 white websites, including email service, banking website, education related websites, job platforms, entertainment, tour and travel and weather website. White listing of websites shall be continuous process.
Only handful news websites have been placed in the category of white listed sites in the valley. Ironically, even the websites of major national newspapers and news agencies, including United News of India (UNI) and Press Trust of India (PTI), have not found their way into the white listed sites.
People alleged that restoration of 2G mobile internet service hardly makes any difference as the users are unable to even check their mails as the speed is very low. All social media sites remained suspended, the order read.
Due to suspension of internet service, journalists working for different media organizations, including News Agencies, were badly hit. However, the administration had set up a media facilitation centre at Sonawar in the city. The centre was later shifted to Directorate Information Office in Srinagar, where journalists are filing their stories to their respective media organizations.
However, the journalists have to wait for hours, particularly in the evening time, to get their turn since only a limited number of systems are working the centre.