IIOJK regime suspends VPN services in Rajouri, curbs digital freedom
Jammu: In yet another restrictive move that exposes the hollow claims of “normalcy” in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the District Magistrate of Rajouri, Abhishek Sharma, has ordered the immediate suspension of all Virtual Private Network (VPN) services across the district for two months — a step widely seen as a direct assault on digital freedom and freedom of expression.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the order, issued under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, came after the Senior Superintendent of Police reported what he termed “unprecedented and suspicious” use of VPNs in several areas. The administration claimed that VPNs — used globally for privacy, secure communication and safe browsing — could be misused for “anti-India activities,” including sharing content critical of the government or bypassing state-imposed restrictions.
Rights advocates and digital analysts, however, say the move is yet another example of how India continues to police and criminalise ordinary communication tools in the occupied territory. They note that such blanket bans have historically been used to silence dissent, restrict access to information and isolate Kashmiris from the outside world — all while New Delhi continues to boast of peace, development and restored normalcy in the territory.
The latest order, they say, further exposes the volatile environment in IIOJK as a result of India’s illegal occupation, where authorities routinely shut down internet services, block social media platforms and now even target basic privacy tools like VPNs — turning everyday digital use into a punishable act.
The suspension of VPN services, they warn, will hit students, journalists, professionals and ordinary citizens who rely on secure internet access, effectively deepening the communication blackout and shrinking civic space in the occupied territory.
