Fresh curbs in Kashmir ahead of Friday prayers

Fresh curbs were imposed in Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley as a preventive measure ahead of today's congregational prayers, officials said.

Restrictions under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure were announced on public address system. People have been asked by authorities not to venture outside while barricades have been placed, reports our New Delhi correspondent.

Normal life remained disrupted across the Kashmir Valley for the 26th consecutive day with markets remaining closed and public transports off the roads.

While landline phone services have resumed in many parts of the Valley, mobile telephone services and all Internet services have remained suspended since August 5 following the Indian government's abrogation of Article 370 that had provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir for seventy years and bifurcation of the state into two federally-ruled territories.

Most of the top separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody while mainstream parties' leaders, including three former chief ministers -- Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti -- have either been detained or placed under house arrest.