Misuse of SIM cards: Police inspect vendors across Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 07: In its continued and sustained efforts to strengthen public safety and communication security, Jammu and Kashmir on Friday widened inspection drives across Kashmir valley against vendors over misuse of SIM cards, urging them to ensure strict compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines and telecom regulations.

A spokesperson of Srinagar police stated that district police Srinagar has initiated a comprehensive inspection drive of SIM card vendors across the district. He said the drive aimed to prevent the misuse of SIM cards for any criminal, fraudulent, or terror-related activities and to ensure strict compliance with Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines and telecom regulations.

Police teams from all five zones — covering Police Stations Khanyar, Lal Bazar, Saddar, Nishat, RM Bagh, Soura, Parimpora, Safakadal, Karan Nagar, Batamaloo, Maisuma, Kralkhud, Kothibagh, Zakoora, Ahmad Nagar, Shaheedganj, Sangam, Soura and Police Posts Noorbagh and Bagiyas, Khimber — conducted thorough inspections of SIM vendors operating within their respective jurisdictions, he said.

More than 50 SIM vendors were checked, focusing on verification of identity proofs, record maintenance, and ensuring that SIMs are issued only to genuine subscribers with valid documentation, he said.

Any vendor found violating regulatory norms will face legal consequences, including penalties, cancellation of license, or prosecution under relevant laws, he also said.

Srinagar police requested public to extend cooperation during these inspections and to ensure that SIM cards registered in their names are not misused. They also urged the citizens to report any suspicious activity or irregular issuance of SIMs to the nearest police station or the District Police Helpline.

Similar drive was carried out in central Kashmir’s Budgam where police teams inspected several vendors and urged them to abide telecom rules in letter and spirit.

Continuing its efforts to enhance security and prevent the misuse of SIM cards for unlawful activities, Budgam Police launched a district-wide inspection drive of SIM card vendors across the Sub-Divisions of Budgam, Magam, Khansahib, and Charar-i-Sharief, today on 7th November 2025 which shall continue till tomorrow, spokesperson of Budgam police said.

He said on the first day of the drive, over 36 SIM card vendors were inspected to verify customer documentation, KYC compliance, and adherence to Department of Telecommunications (DoT) guidelines. Vendors were counselled about their legal responsibilities and warned of strict action in case of any violation or negligence.

He also said that the initiative aims to curb the use of SIM cards in cybercrime, fraud, impersonation, and misinformation, thereby ensuring secure and lawful communication practices.

Furthermore, in a sustained and comprehensive effort to curb the misuse of SIM cards by terrorists, their associates, and criminal networks, Kulgam Police today launched a massive district-wide crackdown to ensure strict compliance with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) guidelines.

A police spokesperson said that acting on credible inputs and intelligence-based assessments, multiple police teams were constituted under the supervision of senior officers to conduct simultaneous inspections of SIM card vendors across all major towns and market areas of the district. The drive aimed to verify vendor licenses, customer documentation, and KYC (Know Your Customer) procedures to prevent the fraudulent issuance and circulation of SIM cards that could be exploited for unlawful activities.

During the inspections, the spokesperson said that vendors were thoroughly briefed about the importance of adhering to DoT norms and telecom regulatory guidelines. They were sensitized about their legal responsibilities and cautioned that any deviation, negligence, or deliberate violation in maintaining proper documentation or customer verification would attract stringent legal action, including cancellation of license and registration of FIRs where necessary.

He said the initiative forms an integral part of Kulgam Police’s proactive strategy to dismantle the communication networks used by anti-national elements, cybercriminals, and fraudsters. By tightening the verification and monitoring process, the police aim to curb the use of SIM cards in terrorism-related communication, online scams, impersonation, and misinformation campaigns.

Speaking about the initiative, SSP Kulgam Shri Anayat Ali Choudhary said, “Ensuring accountability and transparency in SIM card issuance is vital to national and public security. We are committed to preventing any misuse of telecom services by anti-social elements. Vendors must strictly adhere to KYC norms and maintain complete documentation, as even a minor lapse can have serious security implications.”