Curfew and similar restrictions continued to remain in place in parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday for the 72nd day as separatist organisations called for a march to the districts of Bandipora, Ganderbal and Shopian. A police official said that while curfew had been imposed in Shopian, restrictions on the movement of people had been placed in Bandipora and Ganderbal as well as the rest of the Valley, including six areas of Srinagar, PTI reported.

The curbs were put in place to maintain law and order after the separatists called for the march to the three districts, the official added. Meanwhile, broadband services were restored late on Saturday after journalists protested against what they called a communication “gag”.

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Normal life in the Valley remained disrupted because of the restrictions as well as separatist-sponsored strikes, which have been extended till September 22. Public transport did not ply, and shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut. On Saturday, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of a teenager whose pellet-ridden body was found in Srinagar on Friday after fresh clashes broke out between protestors and security forces in Harwan district, Greater Kashmir reported.

As many as 81 people have died because of the unrest in the state, with thousands more being injured. There has been increased violence in Kashmir over the past two months as the state grapples with protests that began following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

A total of 17 Indian soldiers were killed after four militants attacked an Army base in Uri, in the state's Baramulla district. All the militants involved in the incident were also killed. The attack came days after the Indian Army moved an entire brigade into South Kashmir earlier this week as part of operation ‘Calm Down’ to clear out protestors and militants from the region.