VPN ban extended to Budgam, Shopian, Kulgam over security concerns

Srinagar, Dec 30: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has intensified its crackdown on the use of Virtual Private Network (VPN) services, extending a temporary ban to three more districts—Budgam, Shopian and Kulgam—amid concerns over public safety, cyber security and national security.

According to separate prohibitory orders issued by the respective District Magistrates, the use of VPN services has been suspended across the three districts for a period of two months. The orders cite potential threats to public order, cybersecurity and law and order as the primary reasons for imposing the restrictions.

Officials said the decisions were taken following inputs from the police indicating a spike in VPN usage by a “significant number of suspicious internet users,” raising apprehensions about possible misuse of such services.

“Whereas VPN services have the potential to be exploited for unlawful and anti-national activities, including incitement of unrest, dissemination of misleading or inflammatory content, and coordination of activities prejudicial to the maintenance of public order, tranquillity and national security,” the orders stated.

The District Magistrates have warned that any violation of the prohibitory orders will invite legal action and have directed the police and other enforcement agencies to ensure strict implementation of the ban “in letter and spirit.”

With these notifications, Budgam, Shopian and Kulgam have joined the list of districts in the Valley where restrictions on VPN usage have been imposed. Officials said several other districts across Jammu and Kashmir had already enforced similar bans in recent weeks.

Over the past month, more than 10 individuals have been booked across the Union Territory for using VPN applications in violation of district-level prohibitory orders.

Last week, two persons—identified as Khalid Abrar and Mohammad Irfan—were booked in Doda district after being found using VPN services on their mobile phones in contravention of such orders.

Security officials maintain that VPNs are often misused to bypass online monitoring and control mechanisms put in place by law enforcement agencies. Such misuse, they said, can facilitate the spread of misinformation, coordination of unlawful activities and access to prohibited online content.

Authorities have also flagged concerns that cyber adversaries exploit VPN services to mask malicious activities such as identity theft, network infiltration and other cyber crimes, making it difficult to trace offenders.

The administration said the restrictions are preventive in nature and aimed at maintaining peace, public order and cyber security in sensitive areas of the Union Territory.