VPN barred in four Kashmir districts ‘due to security reasons’

Using magisterial powers, several district administrations in Kashmir have banned the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) due to security reasons.

In the past 24 hours, the four districts of Shopian, Kulgam, Budgam and Srinagar have, in separate orders, suspended the usage of VPNs, which allow Internet users to mask their locations and identity.

In the latest order issued by the Budgam administration on Tuesday, various types of VPN services were suspended on mobile phones for a period of two months.

“Under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 following inputs received from the Senior Superintendent of Police, Budgam regarding unprecedented and suspicious high usage of VPNs across various parts of the district…,” the order said.

The order said such usage has the potential to be exploited for unlawful and anti-national activities, including incitement of unrest, dissemination of inflammatory material, and coordination of activities prejudicial to the maintenance of public order. 

“It was further observed that VPNs enable encrypted data transmission, mask IP addresses, bypass firewalls and website restrictions, and may expose sensitive information to potential cyber threats,” the order said.

Considering the prevailing circumstances and the need to take immediate preventive measures to safeguard public security and sensitive data, the District Magistrate deemed it necessary to impose the restriction.

Several districts in the Pir Panchal Valley and the Chenab Valley in the Jammu region have also banned VPN services in the past one year. Such orders were implemented in the wake of reporting heightened activity by militants in these valleys.