Jammu, 30 November – Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri and Poonch districts have halted virtual private network (VPN) services for the next two months, saying the tech could be misused by anti‑social elements for illegal activity. Poonch became the second border district in the Jammu division to see the ban after Rajouri was ordered to stop VPNs the previous two days. District Magistrate Ashok Kumar Sharma, acting under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), announced the shutdown effective immediately. The DM stated, “The SSP informed that there has been an unprecedented high usage of VPNs in the past few days at different locations of the district by suspicious internet users,” in his order. He warned that VPN traffic is encrypted, creates a point‑to‑point tunnel, masks IP addresses and can bypass website blocks and firewalls, leaving sensitive data vulnerable to cyber attacks. “Adversaries can use VPN services to create an atmosphere of fear in view of the prevailing situation,” the DM added.
The directive applies to individuals, organisations, cyber‑cafés and internet service providers in the district; anyone found violating it will face penalties under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The DM instructed the SSP to enforce the ban in accordance with both its letter and spirit.
In Rajouri, District Magistrate Abhishek Sharma imposed the same two‑month suspension on Friday, citing public‑safety concerns and the potential for illegal use of these platforms. The Rajouri order, issued under Section 163 of the BNSS following a police report, echoed the DM’s warning. Rajouri SSP Gaurav Sikarwar noted an unexpected surge in VPN usage across the district and highlighted that VPNs can be employed to conceal IP addresses, bypass blocks, and transmit encrypted data. “Such activities have the potential to be exploited for anti‑national purposes, including spreading inflammatory content, coordinating activities prejudicial to public order, and posing cyber‑security threats,” the DM said, emphasizing that the preventive measure was aimed at maintaining law and order and protecting sensitive information.
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