Even as a fierce and critical debate has been going on over privacy policy and what later offered by messaging platforms like WhatsApp, latest reports have claimed that terrorist groups and their handlers from Pakistan are switching to new applications which include one developed by a Turkish company.
Adding more to this, Delhi Police on Sunday claimed that over 300 Twitter handles have been generated from Pakistan during January 13 to 18 to disrupt the tractor rally by farmers only by misleading people.
The Special Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) said, there were inputs about the mischievous disruptions from different agencies too. Though it would be a challenging task for the security agencies, the good thing is that the rally would be conducted amid tight security after the Republic Day parade is over. The Administration has reportedly given the Tractor Rally organisers around 170 kilometres of distance in three routes.
The three new applications came to light after evidence was collected following encounters with terrorists or those who surrendered before the Army gave details about their mode of radicalisation by Pakistan-based terrorist groups. The names of the messaging apps have been withheld for security reasons.
While one of the applications is owned by a company based in the United States, the second is from Europe. The latest is an application developed by a Turkish company that has been frequently used by terrorist group handlers and their prospective recruits in the Kashmir valley. It looks like Pakistan is now taking the help of technology to unleash terror on India. It is time to give a fitting reply besides exposing the unfriendly neigbhbour's inimical acts.
The new applications have the ability to work with the slowest Internet connections where Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE), used in the late 2000s, or 2G is in operation.
The government has already extended the suspension of Internet across Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile state in August 2019. Early last year, 2G Internet services were restored. Terror groups had virtually stopped using WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. Later, it was found that they had switched over to new applications available free of cost, a security official said.
What's worrying more is the fact that one of the new messaging apps used by terrorists to radicalise the youth in the Valley does not even ask for phone numbers or emails for enabling complete user anonymity, officials said.
Efforts must be taken fast to block such applications in Jammu and Kashmir to foil any ominous act by the terrorists.
