The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday banned Short Message Service (SMS) in the Kashmir Valley as tempers are running high over the killing of eight persons in little over two weeks, allegedly at the hands of the police and the CRPF.
“After receiving a communication from the police, the service has been barred in the entire Valley from midnight today [midnight on Tuesday night],” Director General, Mobile, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), A.K. Mittal told local news agency PBI.
Informed sources said the ban has been invoked for an indefinite period.
“We can't say how long the ban would stay. The police would know better,” said Mr. Mittal.
However, Srinagar District Magistrate Meraj Ahmad Kakroo rejected that any ban was imposed.
“There is some network problem. No ban has been invoked,” he said.
