Mobile services across Kashmir Valley on Monday were blocked as part of extraordinary security arrangement made for Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s two-day visit. The service providers said they had been instructed to halt the services following a communiqué was received by the Jammu and Kashmir police from the Union home ministry citing security concerns as the reason.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited as well as Airtel, Aircell, Tata Indicom and Vodafone blocked the cellular service at around 11.30 am, 15 minutes prior to the arrival of the Prime Minister in Srinagar. Internet services provided by companies other than the BSNL were also disrupted. The authorities said that the mobile phones and SIM cards could be used as devices to detonate bombs and other explosives and therefore the service was blocked. “The jam would continue till the PM leaves,” general manager BSNL, Mahesh Shukla said.
Meanwhile, the police and CRPF enforced curfew-like security restrictions in central Srinagar whereas the Boulevard and its neighbourhood where the Prime Minister would be staying and holding meetings have been sealed after laying of Concentra barbed wire and placing armoured vehicles crisscross the roads. Section 144 CrPC prohibiting assembly of five or more persons has been imposed in the areas falling under police stations of Nowhatta, Khanyar, Mehrajgunj and Safakadal, officials said. Mughal Gardens overlooking Dal Lake have been closed for public for three days from Sunday as they are closed to the venue for functions being attended by the Prime Minister.
Justifying the stringent security cover in and around Srinagar, the authorities said it had been necessitated to thwart any untoward incident. However, police and intelligence agencies said that the Army’s claim that the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba had planned a major terror strike during the Prime Minister’s visit was “unsubstantiated.” The Army had reportedly suggested Dr Singh should stay and hold meetings at the Badami Bagh Cantonment area here in view of the purported threat but the state government as well as the PMO did not agree.
The shutdown called by the separatists has closed entire Kashmir Valley forcing the authorities to postpone the examinations scheduled for the day. Shops, banks and other businesses, educational institutions, private and public offices were closed while as only skeleton private transport could be seen plying on the streets outside Srinagar. Independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid was placed detained and placed under house arrest when he along with his supporters defied prohibitory orders and tried to stage a dharna to protest the April 30 killing of three youths by troops in a staged gun fight near the LoC.
The family members of two Shopian women claimed to have been murder after rape last year were taken into preventive detention by the police from Lal Chowk.
Meanwhile, seven flights to New Delhi were diverted to nearby cities on account of VVIP movement from the New Delhi IGI airport on Monday morning. Dr Singh’s flight to Srinagar by a defence aircraft was delayed by a few minutes, resulting in diversions and delays, aviation sources confirmed. Sources said the delay was for about 20 minutes at about 10 am resulting in incoming flights circling over Delhi. One of the flights diverted was a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok to Delhi. The other six diverted flights were domestic ones.