Amid tight vigil, people in Kashmir offer Friday prayers as restrictions eased; schools, colleges to reopen in Jammu

After being confined to their homes for days, people in Kashmir offered Friday prayers in their local mosques as restrictions were eased for the purpose, officials said, adding the Valley was largely peaceful barring minor incidents of stone pelting in the apple-town of Sopore in north Kashmir.People, who have been virtually been kept indoors because of heavy security deployment in the wake of removal of special status for Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of the state, were allowed to go to mosques in their localities without being asked any questions by security personnel.With no untoward incident, the situation, as of now, was reported to be fine in the Srinagar city and south Kashmir, the officials said, but added that reports from all areas are yet to arrive.The Jammu district administration on Friday withdrew prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 imposed here on August 5 in view of the Centre abrogating constitutional provisions that accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, according to an official order.
According to the order issued by Jammu District Magistrate Sushma Chauhan, all schools, colleges and academic institutions may resume their functioning normally from August 10.The officials said there were minor incidents of stone pelting in Sopore town of north Kashmir, 50 km from Srinagar, but was contained immediately and the crowd dispersed.Restrictions were eased to allow people in Kashmir to offer Friday prayers in local mosques, the officials said, as security forces were put on high alert across the Valley in an apparent move to prevent possible protests.The decision to ease the restrictions was taken after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval directed authorities to ensure that no Kashmiris is harassed, they said.Doval, who has been camping in Srinagar since Tuesday, spoke to locals and security personnel during a quick tour of the sensitive downtown area here on Friday, an official said.The NSA, accompanied by his aides and senior police officers, visited the Eidgah locality and stopped at various places to interact with locals.