Normal life remained affected in Kashmir as the stalemate following abrogation of Article 370 entered its 39th day on Thursday with schools closed and public transport off the roads, officials said. Restrictions on the movement or assembly of people have been lifted from most areas of the valley, but security forces continued to be deployed to maintain law and order, the officials said.

They said the authorities were also considering easing out restrictions on mobile communications and restoring voice call services. While landlines across the valley were functional, voice calls on mobile devices were working only in Kupwara and Handwara police districts of north Kashmir.