Six persons arrested for attacking cable operators in N Kashmir

Baramulla, Mar 19 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir police has arrested six youths for attacking cable network offices at Sopore in north Kashmir today.

Official sources said a group of six youths today attacked the offices of cable operators and damaged some equipment.

Later, police arrested them, they said.

The attack on the cable operators came two weeks after two militant outfits--Al-Madina and Al-Badr--imposed a ban on three English channels and viewing of Kashmiri songs.

The militant outfits had threatened to attack broadcast installations if the ''obscene programmes'' were not stopped immediately.

The Kashmir Cable Network (KCN) had already stopped three channels-- Star Movies, Star World and Sony Pic-- from March 5 because of the militants'threats.

A number of other channels, including AXN, HBO and some other foreign channels have already been stopped since last year.

Last year, cable operators in Kashmir suspended operations after militant groups threatened to launch suicide attacks on their centres.

However, they resumed transmission after the ban was lifted.

About a dozen cable operators were also attacked by unknown gunmen in the valley during the past three years.

UNI