Fresh violence in Kashmir Valley

In the rest of Kashmir, the situation by and large remained  peaceful, barring incidents of protests and stone-pelting.

Police fired in the air, burst smoke shells and resorted to cane-charge to disperse protesters. Thirty-two people were injured in the clashes in curfew and non-curfew-bound areas.

Curfew was relaxed in Kashmir on Friday evening for the Islamic festival of Shab-e-Meraj. However, shops, others business establishments, government offices and educational institutions remained closed.

Transport services remained off the roads. In some areas people were seen buying food items and other essential commodities from some shops which opened for one or two hours.

With tension mounting, very few people visited the Hazratbal shrine during the festival. Normally, lakhs of people offer prayers in the shrine on such festivals.

 Despite curfew relaxation, the Army continues to be on standby. No flag marches were staged by the Army here on Saturday.