Doda Emerges from Digital Blackout as Broadband Services Restored after a Week

Doda/Jammu, September 14: Broadband internet services were fully restored in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on Sunday, marking a significant step towards normalcy after a week-long suspension imposed in the wake of violent protests triggered by the detention of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and J-K unit president, Mehraj Malik, under the Public Safety Act on September 8.

The restoration of connectivity comes after a high-level meeting between district authorities and civil society representatives, which led to a decision to phase out the stringent restrictions that had brought daily life to a standstill.

While broadband services are now active and additional security forces have been withdrawn from now-bustling markets, the easing of measures is being conducted progressively, with mobile internet and other services to be reviewed based on the improving ground situation.

During the meeting, DIG Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban Range Shridhar Patil, Deputy Commissioner Harvinder Singh, and SSP Sandeep Mehta commended the public’s role in maintaining order but also urged business owners to ensure all CCTV cameras are operational to monitor for miscreants, securing a collective promise of cooperation from traders and transporters to help the district recover from the dual setbacks of unrest and recent flood-related losses.