Curfew relaxed in Zanskar

Curfew was relaxed in Kargil's Buddhist-dominated area of Zanskar on Monday. "The curfew was relaxed for six-hour on Monday. And even after the timing was over, people were allowed to move and no strict restrictions were imposed though additional security was deployed," said SP Kargil Sujit Kumar.

Curfew was relaxed in Kargil's Buddhist-dominated area of Zanskar on Monday.

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"The curfew was relaxed for six-hour on Monday. And even after the timing was over, people were allowed to move and no strict restrictions were imposed though additional security was deployed," said SP Kargil Sujit Kumar.

No untoward incident was reported on Monday.

The authorities decided to relax the curfew as it is a tourist season in Zanskar which attracts many foreigners.

The curfew was imposed on Saturday following large scale violence over the alleged abduction of a girl by a Muslim man.

Trouble had been brewing since the 18-year-old went missing on July 17. But things turned violent on Saturday, when the police were to bring her back to Padum town, after she was traced in Srinagar.

Demanding that the girl be immediately handed over to her parents, the buddhists gathered outside the town.

As the police team bringing her changed route and took her to the magistrate, an altercation took place between the local police and the protesters. The protestors started throwing stones, injuring three police personnel, and set two police vehicles on fire forcing authorities to impose curfew in the area.