Jammu: Curfew was relaxed for two hours Saturday in Kishtwar township of Jammu and Kashmir where it was imposed as a precautionary measure on Thursday night following the killing of a senior BJP leader and his brother by suspected militants, officials said.
However, the curfew was lifted from nearby Doda district, they added.
The students appearing for the 10th class board examination wrote their papers in the curfew-bound areas after the authorities asked the students to reach their respective centres using their admit card, which would be treated as curfew pass, the officials said.
District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana said the area wise curfew relaxation was given in Kishtwar town from 2.30 pm to 3.30 pm initially and then from 3.45 pm to 4.45 pm.
“During the period, the situation remained quite under control as people came out of their houses and purchased essential commodities,” he told PTI.
Rana said the students appearing for Class 10 annual board examination, which began on October 30, also reported to their examination centres and wrote their papers without any trouble.
The district authorities have decided to hold the examination as per schedule and make announcements in the curfew-bound areas through public address system and other mediums to ensure that no student misses the paper.
An indefinite curfew was imposed in parts of Kishtwar and Doda districts on Thursday night following the killing of BJP state secretary Anil Parihar, 52, and his brother, Ajeet Parihar, 55, by suspected militants.
A police official said the curfew was lifted from Doda district including the main town and Bhadarwah along with Paddar and Chatroo sub-divisions of Kishtwar district.
He, however, said section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) remained in force in these areas as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
The killing of the Parihar brothers triggered massive protests across Jammu region, following which the authorities suspended internet services in the curfew-bound areas, while the internet speed was slowed down in the rest of the division, including winter capital Jammu.
The Army also staged a flag march in the sensitive areas to help the district administration in Kishtwar to maintain law and order.
On Thursday, the Parihar brothers were walking towards their home in Parihar mohalla through a dark lane in Tapal Mohalla when they were fired upon from a close range by suspected militants around 8.40 pm, officials said.
The assailants were apparently waiting for the brothers to return home, they said.
The government has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the killing and directed it to expedite the investigation and submit its report as early as possible.
