Phones Fall Silent in Haryana’s Nuh: One Night, No Signal, Only Suspicion-OxBig News Network

Nuh: As the sun dipped behind the Aravalli hills on the evening of July 12, an uneasy quiet crept over Haryana’s Nuh district. Shops were still open, but people were checking their phones with growing confusion. No messages. No internet. No signal. Then came the reason – an official order. The government had pulled the plug on mobile internet, bulk SMS and even dongles. For 24 hours, Nuh was going offline.

The state cited “apprehensions of communal tension” as the reason. The blackout began at 9:00 PM on July 13 and will continue till 9:00 PM the next day, July 14. The move followed requests from Haryana’s intelligence wing (ADGP/CID) and the deputy commissioner of Nuh – both flagging the risk of public disorder, vandalism and arson if online platforms were allowed to run unchecked.

Signed by Home Secretary T.V.S.N. Prasad, the official note read, “There is a clear potential of disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and disturbance of public law and order.” The fear is that inflammatory messages and fake videos might again circulate like last time. 

Nuh, Haryana | Internet and SMS services have been suspended for 24 hours from 9 pm on July 13 to 9 pm on July 14. The SMS facility related to banking and mobile recharge will continue as before. Orders issued for the smooth management of law and order pic.twitter.com/ZhQOJlT1zM
— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2025

The government said the decision was taken with “utmost care for public convenience”. SMS for banking and mobile recharges are exempt. So are voice calls. Household and corporate broadband will stay unaffected. But social media? Gone. WhatsApp forwards? Frozen. Internet in your hand? Disabled.

This is not the first time Nuh has gone dark. In the past year, the communally sensitive region, scarred by previous clashes, has seen its digital lifeline cut more than once. Saturday’s order, however, came with a warning – any violation will lead to legal action.

The silence of Nuh tonight is not peaceful. It is heavy. It carries tension, suspicion and fear of what could follow if one video or one rumour reaches the wrong phone.