Eid celebrated peacefully in Jammu & Kashmir

Prayers began at 7 am at most mosques and continued till noon in some places, read a government statement.

Movement of people was facilitated by police forces as necessary.

"There were large prayer congregations at many places including Bandipora (Dar ul Uloom Rahimiya 5000, Jamia Masjid 2000), Baramulla (10,000), Kupwara (Eidgah 3500), Trehgam (3000), Sopore (1500), Kulgam (Qazigund 5500, Qaimoh 6000), Shopian (3000),  Pulwama (1800), Awantipora (2500), Anantnag (Achabal 3000), Ganderbal (over 7000), Budgam (Chararesharif 5000, Magam 8000), Srinagar (hundreds of local mosques). In Jammu, over 5000 prayed at Eidgah. Similar large gatherings were there in Jammu province," read an official statement.

In Srinagar, keeping in view the possibility of terrorists, militants and mischievous elements trying to disturb public order and peace, reasonable restrictions were imposed on large gatherings in sensitive areas. People gathered in large numbers at local mosques to offer prayers and greet each other.

There have been some minor localised protests of a routine nature in a few places. This is not  unknown in Jammu and Kashmir in the past.

There have been some isolated incidents of stone pelting, again at an insignificant level. Police handled these locally and dispersed the protesters. There are no major injuries barring 1 or 2 individuals.

Restrictions imposed in Jammu & Kashmir last week were eased from Saturday onwards in a calibrated manner, balancing the requirements of facilitating the public and preventing mischievous elements from creating trouble.

"People came out in large numbers and thronged the streets of Srinagar on Saturday, about 20% of the shops opened and hawkers / street vendors sold consumables. On Sunday, there was further relaxation resulting in a large volume of traffic and traffic jams in some areas. Over 50% of the shops were open and Eid shopping was done unhindered," read the statement.

"There was massive sale of goats/ sheep in Srinagar and other parts of the valley. Over 2.5 lakh sheep were sold in Srinagar," it said.

In other parts of the state, restrictions were completely lifted in 5 districts of Jammu and limited to the night in 5 districts of Jammu. Similar local relaxation was done in the 9 other districts of Kashmir based on local assessment of the situation.

Removal and tightening of restrictions is a local exercise by the police and district administration based on their assessment of the need to maintain public order and peace. As and when situation demands, the easing is happening across the state. Even today on Eid, reactions will be based on local assessment.

Restrictions on connectivity continue as a result of security requirements. However, people are being facilitated to contact their relatives and children outside the state through widespread deployment of help lines at convenient locations such as the District Commissioner's office, Police stations and Police posts.

Thousands of calls are being every day from these places. Over 5000 calls were made in one day in Srinagar. Over 300 public points for phone connectivity are functional across the Kashmir division.

Media is being facilitated through a media center set up by the state government. Regular briefings are being held in the Media Center every day at 11 am and 6 pm by a senior government official. Media has been provided phone and internet facility at the Media Center.

There are some reports in media about firing by security forces and deaths/ injuries. It is categorically denied that any firing incident has happened in the state. Not a single bullet has been fired by security forces nor has there been any casualty.

Police are effectively maintaining peace and public order, taking local decisions on detentions. This is usual and has been done for Panchayat elections, parliament elections and at other times when violence by militants/ separatists was apprehended.

The Government is committed to maintaining peace and public order and people have been most cooperative. Separatists and militant elements are being dealt with as per law.

Eid with a difference:

The Eid is getting celebrated a week after the central government withdrew Jammu and Kashmir's special status by scrapping Articles 370 and 35A. The Narendra Modi government also took away the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir with an assembly and Ladakh without an assembly.

Jammu and Kashmir is still under Section 144 which was imposed by the Modi government prior to taking the major step in the valley.

Two former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers- Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti- have been kept under detention. Reports claimed Abdullah and Mufti were allowed to offer prayers.