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Internet services suspended for 24 hours in 10 districts

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Dec 11 - Fearing further escalation of the protests in the State, the state machinery has suspended the Internet services in 10 districts of the State, including Kamrup (Metro) for 24 hours beginning from 7 pm of Wednesday.

An order issued by the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Krishna said mobile Internet and data service of all mobile service providers will be prohibited for 24 hours beginning 7 pm of December 11 in the districts of Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat.

�There are protests in different parts of the State and there are probabilities of intensification which may adversely affect the law-and-order situation in the State thereby threatening public safety. Reports in the media show that the protesters are involved in vandalism which is likely to spread and create serious law-and-order situation. Social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter and YouTube, etc., are likely to be used for spreading of rumours and also for transmission of information like pictures, videos and text that have a potential to inflame passion and thus exacerbate the law-and-order situation,� the order stated.

In order to prevent the misuse of the electronic media to disturb the peace and tranquility of the State and for maintaining the law and order, the order for prohibiting the Internet services had been promulgated under the provision of Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 read with the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rule, 2017.

Violation of the order will be punishable under relevant sections of the law, the order added.

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