The restrictions on the movement and assembly of people tocontain the spread of the coronavirus continued in Kashmir for the ninth day onFriday as most mosques and shrines were shut to avoid large gatherings forcongregational prayers, officials said.
The curbs were tightened across the valley in the wake ofdetection of more COVID-19 cases, they added.
Many roads have been sealed off in the valley and barrierserected by the security forces to check the movement of people.
Police vehicles fitted with public address systems went aroundthe residential areas of the city and elsewhere in the valley till late onThursday as well as in the morning hours of Friday to announce thatrestrictions under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) wereimposed.
The police were also using drones in some parts of the cityto announce the restrictions on the movement of people, the officials said.
Most of the mosques and shrines across the valley, includingthose in the summer capital here, were closed on the appeal of theadministration to avoid large gatherings for congregational prayers on Friday,they added.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the 21-daycountrywide lockdown on Tuesday evening, the Union Territory administrationhere had announced a lockdown across Jammu and Kashmir till March 31 on Sundayas part of its efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The administration said essential services, includinghealthcare personnel, were exempted from the restrictions.
It asked people to cooperate and warned of action forviolating the prohibitory orders.
The district administrations have put in place a mechanismto ensure uninterrupted supplies and deliveries of essential services to thegeneral public. Essential commodities will be home-delivered to the residentsas part of the mechanism.
However, there have been reports of violations by people atseveral places across the valley, following which the police have taken actionby effecting arrests and seizing vehicles.
The markets across the valley were shut and public transportwas off the roads with only pharmacies and groceries allowed to open, theofficials said.
Educational institutions across Kashmir have been closed,while all public places including gymnasiums, parks, clubs and restaurants wereshut down more than a week before the lockdown announced by the prime minister.
Restrictions were first imposed in many parts of the valleyon Thursday last week to contain the spread of the virus. The measures weretaken after a 67-year-old woman from the Khanyar area of the city, who hadreturned from Saudi Arabia on March 16 after performing Umrah, tested positivefor COVID-19.
The number of coronavirus cases has gone up to 10 in thevalley, while the figure for the Union Territory is 13.
One patient has recovered from the disease in Kashmir, whileanother one succumbed at a hospital here on Thursday morning.