Srinagar, Aug. 28 -- Hina, a 21-year-old college student in Srinagar, remembers the first time a stranger contacted her on social media.

It seemed harmless at first: an innocent friend request. Soon, messages arrived almost every hour, questions about her life, routines, and friends.

When she blocked him, new accounts appeared, sending doctored photographs, spreading rumours among her peers. Every notification made her heart race. The internet, once a place of connection, had become a cage.

Stories like Hina's are becoming common in Kashmir these days. Cyber stalking, the repeated use of digital platforms to harass, intimidate, or threaten, is rising as rapidly as internet adoption in the valley.

Over 60% of Kashmir's population is un...