Day 5: Mobile Internet Continues to Remain Suspended in Leh, Authorities Yet to Announce Timeline for Restoration
Leh, Sept 30, KNT: Mobile internet services remained suspended in Leh town for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, leaving locals, students, and businesses grappling with disruption to communication and online services.
An official said that the measure was taken as a precautionary step in the wake of recent violence. While broadband and leased-line services are functional, mobile internet is shut, cutting off a large section of the population from digital connectivity.
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“The decision was taken in the interest of maintaining law and order. We don’t want encourage elements inimical to peace to upload provocative content on the social media. The situation is being reviewed, but no timeline has been set for restoration yet,” the official told the news agency Kashmir News Trust.
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The suspension has caused frustration among locals, who say their daily lives and work have been badly affected. Students preparing for competitive exams complained of losing access to study material and online classes. “We rely on mobile data for everything, from lectures to exam practice. With the internet down, we are helpless,” a student from Leh said.
Civil society groups in Leh urged the administration to restore services at the earliest, arguing that prolonged suspension punishes ordinary people more than it serves security objectives.
A curfew was imposed in Leh town on September 24 following violent protests.. The clashes left four people dead and over 150, including security personnel injured, marking one of the most serious outbreaks of unrest in the region in recent years. More than 60 individuals, including prominent climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, were taken into custody. Wangchuk was later detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, drawing widespread criticism from civil society and rights groups. [KNT]
