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| Ahead of Amarnath Yatra, militants target mobile communication in Kashmir | | | Abdul Majid
Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 25: Ahead of the annual Amarnath Ji Yatra, militants are targetting telecommunication infrastructure in the Valley.
On Monday, one person was killed and two others injured when militants fired indiscriminately at a telecom company's outlet in Sopore area of north Kashmir.
The assailants attacked Irqa Telecom Centre at main market of Sopore. The outlet is a franchisee of BSNL. Three employees of the outlet were wounded; one of them later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
Police officials said the gunmen "specifically targeted the telecom firm".
A few weeks ago, militants issued threats to all cellular companies in Sopore to wind up their operations. On Sunday, two grenades were lobbed at the mobile tower of a telephone company. However, only one of the two grenades exploded while there was no report of damage or casualty.
The grenade attack had created panic in Kral Teng area of Sopore where the offices of three private telecommunication companies have been reportedly shut for the last over three weeks. Most of the mobile recharge counters in the town were also closed.
The militants in the past fortnight also threatened and even thrashed many inhabitants in and around Sopore town in whose compound the towers of telecom companies were installed and asked them to dismantle them.
Official sources said the militant threat to telecom companies began on May 1, after a communication device, they had installed on a mobile tower went missing.
This all is happening at a time when security arrangements were expected to be heightened ahead of the annual Yatra which is scheduled to commence from July 2. Security experts accused the state police of "taking things lightly ahead of the pilgrimage which is of sensitive nature."
"This is the time to improve policing on the ground. Cricket can wait, security preparedness can't," said a senior official, adding "the present trend shows that militants want to breakdown the mobile telecommunication network."
"Such attacks will discourage the tele-companies from operating in the given circumstances and this all will ultimately impact the Yatra arrangements," he said. "Mobile connectivity has become a backbone of communication, targeting this is like targeting human interaction," he added.
An official in a private telecom firm said, "Our firm has started deliberations to see if we should continue with services in Kashmir or not." On May 12, Early Times had reported how police was busy in the play-fields hosting T-20 cricket tournaments when security preparedness for the Yatra should be the priority for them. |
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