Police continues with crackdown on use of social networking sites
The state police has continued its crack down on the people who are using the social networking sites.
Apart from the ban on many of the networking sites which was announced by the government here recently, officials said that a number of people have been detained for use of social networking sites “to incite violence and stone pelting.’’
A senior security official said that Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, was also recently informed that a number of social networking groups especially the Whats App groups are being run from Pakistan.
“During investigation of a number of groups we have found that their administrators have been in Pakistan and it was easily assertained that at least 256 people could be added to the group,’’ said a senior security official. Security officials said that they have identified at least 1,000 Whats App groups which have their administrators in Pakistan.
The crackdown on the use of social networking sites has particularly been enforced in South Kashmir area of Pulwama. More than 270 people have been detained over use of networking groups and sites recently, a senior official said.
The decision to ban the networking sites had come after the meeting of the Unified Command, which was chaired by Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, earlier in April. The meeting was attended among others by the top brass of the security including the Army, police and the Central Reserve Police Force.
A report by the Home Ministry has revealed that “use of social networking sites has always been a challenge for security establishment.’’
“The use of social networking sites is being used to galvanize the support for separatists and a campaign was launched through various platforms including social media sites to instigate violence,’ read the report.
However, people using social networking sites say that they have been hit hard by the ban.
Khurshid Ahmad, who works as a computer operator, at S Tariq pollution checking Center at Chadoora, said that they are facing difficulties due to the suspension of Whatsapp service.
Ahmad said that they had started the Whatsapp group in January to connect with the customers so that they could have prepared their pollution checking certificates in time and the messaging service was proving to be a boon to connect with the customers. However, he said that they are facing difficulties after the ban on the use of service.
“We were not calling people on their cell phones to remind them that their pollution certificates will expire as they could have been busy with their work. The Whatsapp proved to be of great help and we would contact people, but now after the service has been suspended we have been hit hard,’’ he said.
KV Correspondent
