Life remained crippled for the 61st day on Friday in Kashmir valley, where people are protesting against scrapping of Article 370 and 35 A,besides dividing the state into two Union Territories on August 5.Meanwhile,additional measures have been taken to prevent any demonstration after Friday prayers.

Officials said that there were no curfew restrictions on Friday in any part of the valley. However, restrictions under Section 144 CrPC,banning assemble of four or more persons, continued as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. Situation remained by and large peaceful barring reports of few incidents of stone pelting in the valley, where train service,mobile and internet connectivity remained suspended since August 5.

Educational institutions also remained closed with only teachers and other ministerial staff attending their duties as students continued to stay away from their classes.

Meanwhile, the historic Jamia Masjid in the Shehar-e-Khas(SeK), stronghold of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, remained closed for devotees since August 5. Large number of Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMF) remained deployed in the Jamia Market and outsidethe Masjid to maintain law and order. No prayers could be offered in the Masjid,including on Fridays, due to restrictions. Additional security forces were deployed to prevent any stone pelting and demonstration after Friday prayers.Securityforces had closed one tube of the Nallahmar road at different places in the down town, where shops and business establishments remained closed and trafficremained off the roads.

Business and other activities remained closed in summer capital, Srinagar and its adjoining areas for the past 61 days while publictransport, including State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC), was off the roadson Friday. But, private vehicles were plying on most of the routes in the cityand outskirts while a number of cabs were also seen plying on district routesfrom Srinagar in the morning.

Shops and business establishments were seen functioning forabout three hours from 0600 hrs to 0900 hrs in the summer capital, includinghistoric Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city and other civil linesareas.  CPMF were seen deployed instrength in the city to prevent any law and order problem. Though there was norestriction on any road, security forces remained on high alert to close anyroad with barbed wire within shortest notice. Work in government offices andbanks on main roads, particularly in the ground floor, remained affected.

Elsewhere in the valley, life remained paralysed with allshops and business establishments closed and traffic off the roads on Friday.

Reports receiving from south Kashmir said that restrictionsunder section 144 CrPC remained imposed in Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama,Awantipora, Tral and Kulgam. Business and other activities remained shut andpublic transport off the roads. However, private vehicles could be seen plyingon some routes, including on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, where additionalsecurity forces remained deployed on the highway to prevent any stone pelting.

Shutdown continued for the 61st day in this and other northKashmir districts and tehsil headquarters, a report from Baramulla said. Largenumber of CPMF remained deployed to prevent any law and order problem. However,private vehicles and some cabs could be seen plying on the Srinagar-Baramullahighway. Reports of continued strike were also received from central Kashmirdistricts of Budgam and Ganderbal.

The internet and mobile connectivity of all Cellularcompanies, including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) also remainedsuspended for the past 61 days in the valley. However, landline telephones areworking normally.