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SIMs reach militants, Airtel panics
Published on Wed, Apr 04, 2007 at 08:15, Updated on Wed, Apr 04, 2007 at 15:54 in 
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Srinagar: Leading cellphone connection provider Bharti Airtel has deactivated nearly 10,000 mobile connections in Jammu and Kashmir following intelligence reports that some of them are being misused by militants.
Of the four lakh pre-paid connections provided by Bharti Airtel in Kashmir, nearly 20,000 were being allotted to troopers alone, but apparently without proper verification.
A few months ago it was found that a militant killed in an explosion in Baramulla was using a SIM card allotted to a soldier. More SIM cards used by militants were found at the Kotbhalwal Jail in Jammu and a few were even used to detonate bombs.
“Lot of misuse is being done by people who have procured these SIMs by projecting the case of defence force personnels. Largely because these must be easier for them to procure it in their names,” says IGP Kashmir, S M Sahia.
Airtel had reportedly relaxed its verification process for pre-paid connections, in a bid to catch up with main competitor BSNL.
But now since a huge number of SIM cards have fallen into wrong hands, security agencies in Kashmir are a worried lot
“Every time we find out that some numbers are being misused and they are activated, investigations are launched . We find they procure more and yes it is problem,'' says Sahia.
After the misuse of these mobile connections came to light, Airtel was quick to de-activate 10,000 suspect SIM cards.
Airtel office in Srinagar said the verification has been taken up as per DOT guidelines and it has no significant impact on subscriber base.
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