Konaseema internet shutdown continues days after violence over renaming district

Five days after violence and arson over renaming the district after BR Ambedkar, internet services remained suspended in Amalapuram, affecting people working from home and others.
Mob in Amalapuram clashing with police: Konaseema internet shutdown continues days after violence over renaming district
Mob in Amalapuram clashing with police: Konaseema internet shutdown continues days after violence over renaming district
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Five days after Amalapuram was rocked by violence over the proposal to rename Konaseema district as Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema, internet service remained suspended in the town and some other parts of the district. The internet service disconnected as a precautionary measure after the violence on Tuesday, May 24, to stop the spread of false messages on social media has not been restored, causing inconvenience to people. During the large-scale violence that rocked the town on May 24 during a protest called by Konaseema Parirakshana Samiti and other groups, the residences of a state minister and an MLA were set afire and dozens of people including police personnel were injured.

On the suggestion of district Superintendent of Police (SP) KSSV Subba Reddy, District Collector Himanshu Shukla wrote to the state government for disconnecting the internet till normalcy was restored in Amalapuram, the headquarters of Konaseema district. With the Dalit Hakkula Porata Samithi (DHPS) deciding to hold a protest and a public meeting at Amalapuram on June 2 demanding that the Konaseema district be named after BR Ambedkar, the internet services seem unlikely to be restored soon.

Police have beefed up security in the district headquarters town by deploying a huge force. Internet services remained suspended in Amalapuram, Mummidivaram, Kothapeta, P Gannavaram and Razole constituencies. This is causing hardships to people in many parts of the district. Banking services, withdrawal of money from ATMs and digital transactions have been hit badly. Internet-based services like work from home, online classes, and stock market brokerage services have also been affected. Updation of records under Arogyasri and MGNREGS has come to a standstill. People are unable to send messages or make internet-based international calls.

Desperate to use internet services, people are seen gathering in areas where they are receiving internet signals. They are heading towards areas along the Godavari river and even crossing island villages in the neighbouring West Godavari district.

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