Bhaderwah June 18 : With situation returning to normal after a communal flare up, curfew was relaxed for 12 hours from 7 am in Bhaderwah town of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda on Saturday.
Curfew was imposed in Bhaderwah in Doda district on June 9 following communal tension in the wake of protests over remarks by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad and some social media posts by local right-wing activists in her support.
Announcing the curfew relaxation from 7 am to 7 pm, the officials said all educational institutions will remain closed for the 10th day on Saturday as a precautionary measure and are likely to reopen on Monday.
Broadband and mobile internet services also remained suspended across additional district Bhaderwah and are expected to be restored after a fresh review of the situation by senior civil and police officers later in the day, they said.
Police vehicles fitted with public address systems were seen making rounds in Bhaderwah town, informing residents about the relaxation in the curfew and requesting their cooperation in maintaining law and order.
Normal activities resumed in the town with the announcement of relaxation in curfew as people stepped out of their homes to buy milk, bread and other essentials.
The curfew was first relaxed in Bhaderwah for two hours on June 15, followed by five hours in two phases on June 16 and four hours on June 17. The relaxation periods passed off peacefully.
Police and security forces are deployed in strength in the town to maintain law and order, the officials said.