What Happened
- Restrictions imposed following protests over the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei remained in force across Kashmir on March 4, 2026 — entering their second day — with the government extending educational institution closures through at least March 7.
- Mobile internet speeds continued to be throttled as a preventive measure; authorities maintained heavy security deployments with police and paramilitary personnel in Shia-majority localities, bazaars, and at potential protest flashpoints.
- Protests had erupted after Iran's Supreme Leader was killed in a joint US-Israel airstrike — Shia Muslims in parts of Kashmir, particularly in Srinagar's Zadibal and Budgam areas, took to the streets carrying effigies of the US and Israeli leaders.
- The administration's approach was explicitly precautionary — officials cited the need to prevent misinformation spread through social media and to avert any escalation in the security situation.
- By day five, protests had continued sporadically across Shia-dominated localities, with restrictions tightened and relaxed in cycles as the situation evolved.
Static Topic Bridges
Preventive Detention and Public Order: Constitutional Provisions
The Indian Constitution contains specific provisions for preventive measures to maintain public order. Article 355 imposes a duty on the Union to protect every state against internal disturbance. Article 356 allows President's Rule in a state that cannot be governed as per the Constitution — though J&K, as a Union Territory, is directly administered by the Centre. Beyond the Constitution, the Public Safety Act, 1978 (J&K-specific) allows detention of persons without trial for up to 2 years where there is a threat to public order — a provision frequently invoked by J&K authorities.
- J&K Public Safety Act (PSA), 1978: Allows administrative detention for up to 2 years for "public order" reasons — without producing the detainee before a magistrate.
- Article 22(3)(b) of the Constitution allows preventive detention under a "law of preventive detention" — such as the PSA.
- The National Security Act (NSA), 1980 permits Central Government-ordered preventive detention for up to 12 months.
- The Supreme Court has ruled that preventive detention must not be used as punishment — it is only for preventing future action.
- Section 163 BNSS (previously Section 144 CrPC): Allows executive magistrates to prohibit gatherings, assemblies, and communications to prevent public disorder.
Connection to this news: The continuation of preventive curbs in Kashmir — including educational shutdowns and internet throttling — across multiple days demonstrates how authorities operationalise the overlapping framework of executive powers under the PSA, telecom suspension rules, and CrPC/BNSS to contain potential disorder before it escalates.
Kashmir's Shia Population and Geopolitical Sensitivity
While the majority of Kashmiri Muslims are Sunni, the Kargil district and pockets of the Kashmir valley (notably Srinagar's Zadibal and Budgam) have significant Shia populations with deep religious and emotional ties to Iran. The assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader — a revered figure in Shia Islam — carried enormous symbolic weight. This trans-national religious solidarity dimension is a recurring feature of Kashmir's security calculus: external geopolitical events (Iran-Israel conflict, Arab Spring, Global Jihad narratives) can rapidly translate into local unrest, requiring careful management by security agencies.
- Kargil, in the Ladakh UT, has a predominantly Shia Muslim population with historically strong cultural links to Iran and Central Asian Shia communities.
- Zadibal in Srinagar is a historically significant Shia locality — a centre of Muharram observances and Shia religious life in the valley.
- Iran's influence in Kashmir: Khamenei had periodically made statements on Kashmir — creating a dual challenge for India (diplomatic sensitivity + domestic security).
- India's Muslim population: ~200 million total; approximately 30 million Shia (15% of Indian Muslims).
- The Shia-Sunni distinction is politically significant in J&K: the government must balance responses carefully to avoid being perceived as targeting Shia communities specifically.
Connection to this news: The protests in Kashmir are not simply law-and-order events — they reflect the deep embeddedness of trans-national Shia identity in parts of Kashmir, and the challenge of governing a region where external geopolitical events can rapidly acquire an internal dimension.
Internet Throttling vs. Complete Shutdown: Policy and Legal Evolution
India has moved in recent years from blanket internet shutdowns to more targeted measures such as speed throttling (reducing bandwidth to 2G levels) — partly in response to the Supreme Court's 2020 direction in Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India requiring proportionality and review. Speed throttling reduces the ability to stream videos, share multimedia content, or coordinate through social media while preserving basic voice and text communication. This approach has become the preferred tool in J&K and elsewhere during periods of unrest.
- India tops global rankings for internet shutdowns — over 750 documented shutdowns between 2012 and 2024 (SFLC.in).
- Supreme Court 2020 judgment (Anuradha Bhasin): Internet access linked to freedom of speech (Art 19(1)(a)) and freedom of trade (Art 19(1)(g)); shutdowns must be proportionate, necessary, and time-bound.
- Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services Rules, 2017: Orders must be reviewed by a committee (Secretary-level) within 5 working days.
- Speed throttling to 2G (roughly 50-100 kbps) prevents video streaming but allows messaging — used as a "middle path" to control information spread without a full shutdown.
- The Pahalgam attack (April 2025) was also followed by internet restrictions in parts of J&K — demonstrating the pattern of connectivity restrictions during security events in the region.
Connection to this news: The throttling of mobile internet to 2G in Kashmir during the Khamenei protests represents the calibrated, post-Anuradha Bhasin approach to communication restriction — using reduced bandwidth rather than a full blackout to comply with proportionality norms while still limiting the spread of inflammatory content.
Key Facts & Data
- Curbs extended for at least 5 days beginning March 2, 2026.
- Educational institutions — schools, colleges, universities — closed until at least March 7, 2026.
- Internet speeds throttled to 2G for postpaid mobile services; prepaid services faced intermittent suspensions.
- Protests most intense in: Srinagar (Zadibal), Budgam, Sopore, and Kargil.
- Heavy deployment of CRPF and J&K Police with barricades and concertina wire.
- Shia Muslims form approximately 15% of India's Muslim population — around 30 million people.
- Supreme Court 2020 judgment: Internet shutdowns must be proportionate, necessary, and time-bound; review within 5 days.
- J&K Public Safety Act (PSA): Allows administrative detention up to 2 years without trial for public order threats.