Following threats from militant outfits, cable TV operators across Kashmir have suspended broadcasting three foreign entertainment channels. On Sunday, militants had asked operators in Kashmir to ‘put an end to obscenity on cable television’.

“We have decided to stop beaming three English channels — Star Movies, Star World and Sony Pic,” said Noor Mohammad, a cable operator in Srinagar.

In a statement to local news agencies, militant outfits Al Madina and Al Badr had on Sunday asked cable operators to “stop spreading obscenity through channels or else bear the consequences”. The militants had, however, not identified any particular channel.

This is not the first time cable operators have stopped beaming channels. In October last year, operators had suspended operations for days after threats from a number of militant groups.

Last year, militants had lobbed a grenade at a cable operator in the city. They have also forced a complete ban on cable TV in north Kashmir’s Sopore town.

“Thousands of people are earning their bread and butter from cable TV operations. The ban means snatching their livelihood,” a cable operator said on condition of anonymity.

Cable operators also fear that such bans ahead of the cricket World Cup may force their clients to switch to DTH services.

“We can take action to protect the cable operators only after receiving a complaint from them,” a senior police official said.