India's central government banned 14 mobile messenger applications in Jammu and Kashmir union territory. They were allegedly used by terror groups and Over Ground Workers (OGW). They allowed the militants to collect or share sensitive information.
The police and security forces use the term OGWs for those reportedly sympathetic to militants.
As per media reports, these apps were banned following a recommendation from security and intelligence agencies, as these applications threaten national security and do not follow Indian laws. After this, the concerned ministry was requested to ban apps under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act 2000.
"Even these apps do not have any representatives in India and cannot be contacted for seeking information as mandated by Indian laws," a local newspaper quoted a source as saying.
"Intelligence agencies also informed India's federal Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that most of these apps are designed to provide anonymity to these users. Their features make it tough to resolve the entities associated with these apps. "These mobile apps aid terrorists and their affiliates to engage in activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India and can disturb peace and harmony," the daily reported, citing another source.