Curfew, restrictions in Kashmir ahead of Friday prayers

"Curfew has been imposed in five police station areas of downtown (interior city) and Batamaloo and Maisuma areas in the uptown," a police official said, adding restrictions on assembly of people would remain in force in the rest of the Valley.

He said curbs on the movement of people were imposed as there were apprehensions of law and order problems after the Friday prayers.

Normal life remained affected in the Valley for the 77th straight day due to restrictions and separatist sponsored strike.

The separatists, who are spearheading the current agitation in the Valley, have extended the protest programme till September 29 but have announced periods of relaxation in the strike on some days, unlike the previous weeks protest programme where there was no relaxation.

They have called for marches to various tehsil headquarters across the Valley.

Shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley, while public transport was off the roads.

Schools, colleges and other educational institutions also continued to remain shut.

Mobile internet services also remained suspended, while the outgoing calls on prepaid numbers continued to remain barred across the Valley.

As many as 81 people, including two cops, have been killed in the unrest that broke out a day after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces in South Kashmir on July 8.