SRINAGAR, India, July 10, (AP): Authorities quickly reimposed a curfew in parts of Indian-controlled Kashmir on Saturday after new violent clashes broke out between anti-India protesters and government forces, police said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Police and paramilitary soldiers fired tear gas and used batons to disperse hundreds of rock-throwing demonstrators in three different areas of Srinagar, the region’s main city, a police officer said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. As part of the new clamp down, thousands of troops patrolled its nearly deserted streets late Saturday and most shops and businesses remained closed. The region’s nearly 60 newspapers were unable to publish for a third day. “We’re monitoring the situation closely and will make further decisions accordingly,” said Farooq Ahmed, a senior police officer.

The tension in the Himalayan region — divided between India and Pakistan — was reminiscent of the late 1980s, when protests against Indian rule sparked an armed conflict that eventually killed more than 68,000 people, mostly civilians. Residents say security forces have killed 15 people in recent rallies. The government sent in the army to quell the protests for the first time this week, part of efforts to prevent them from spiraling out of control. The tight curfew, initially introduced Wednesday, was lifted late Friday across the Indian-administered region for 24 hours to allow residents to celebrate a Muslim festival. Taking advantage of the brief reprieve, people swarmed grocery shops to buy food and other essentials. The officer in Srinagar who asked not to be named said morning clashes forced authorities to reimpose the curfew.

In parts of the city where it remained lifted, however, thousands of people carrying black and green protest flags chanted “Indian forces leave Kashmir” as they marched peacefully through the streets. Authorities removed police and paramilitary soldiers from those areas to avoid any clashes. “Our civil disobedience and peaceful marches will continue until India withdraws its military and paramilitary soldiers from populated areas,” said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a key separatist leader who led the march. Only about 1,000 devotees visited the revered Dargah Hazratbal shrine to offer prayers at the annual “Miraj-un-Nabi” festival, which commemorates Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) night journey to the heavens. In past years, tens of thousands of Muslims thronged the shrine. Police laid razor wire and erected steel barricades around the shrine to stop any protests.