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Police in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir have asked people not to use Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) as their use has been banned in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.

The Anantnag district magistrate had on May 7, 2025, suspended the use of all VPNs for two months as police reported large-scale use of these networks to access websites and content blocked by the Centre in the aftermath of the April 22, 2025, terror attack that left 26 people dead.

Police officials reported that some VPN networks were still in use.

“This activity can lead to legal action against the users, as VPNs are used to transmit encrypted data, mask IP addresses, and bypass website blocks and firewalls. The use of VPNs makes sensitive information vulnerable to cyber attacks,” an official said.

They stated that VPNs have the potential to be misused for unlawful and anti-national activities, including inciting unrest and disseminating inflammatory content.

“To safeguard data and prevent any cyber attacks, the use of VPNs must be avoided,” the official said.