Major telecom service providers - Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio - have suspended internet services in nine areas of the national capital New Delhi to comply with a government order, in the wake of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests. 

"As per the directive received from the Government, data services are stopped at a few locations," Vodafone Idea's customer care tweeted in response to a user's question about its network in Delhi on Thursday, December 19. 

Internet shutdown
Order of the Deputy Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, to shut down communication services.

SMS services have also been suspended at a few locations, the company's customer care separately told another Twitter user. The voice services were also down in some parts of the national capital from 9 am till 1 pm.

Rival Bharti Airtel's customer care also told customers on Twitter it had suspended voice calls, SMS and internet services in parts of the Indian capital following days of protests across the city against a new citizenship law.

Citizenship amendment bill protest
AASU holds a protest in Dibrugarh against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.Twitter

"We're complying with instructions received from govt authorities on suspending Voice, SMS and data in certain areas in Delhi," Bharti's customer care said on social media platform Twitter.

"Once the suspension orders are lifted, our services will be fully up and running."

(With agency inputs.)