According to sources, the eight companies drawn from CRPF and BSF will be sent in a day or two to the Kashmir valley.

The Army had yesterday moved 17 columns (about 1,700 personnel) into various parts of the city to assist the civil administration in maintaining law and order.Home Minister P Chidambaram today said he hoped the Army would not be required for too long in the valley and appealed to the people there to observe restrictions.

He said a major part of patrolling and law enforcement was being done by the state police and CRPF and the Army was on standby in case there was need for its deployment