Signs of normalcy: After board exams, mobile internet services restored in Kashmir Valley

New Delhi: Some signs of normalcy in parts of the Kashmir Valley have started to appear and after the successful completion of  the class XII board examinations, mobile internet services are restored on all postpaid mobile phones. After remaining suspended for over four months, the mobile internet services were restored in the Kashmir Valley from Saturday midnight. Internet services on mobile phones had been suspended by the authorities on July 9 due to the unrest following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in a gunfight. Ever since the day suspension of the service, students, professionals and business community have been demanding the restoration of the mobile internet services. Internet service on fixed landline connections, which remained suspended for more than a month after July 9, was restored earlier this year. The internet services on all mobile phones -- both prepaid and postpaid -- are already working in the Jammu region of the state. Restoration of mobile internet on prepaid connections: Authorities said that the service would be restored on prepaid connections after the situation is reviewed in light of its impact on overall law and order situation. Class XII board examinations held peacefully in Kashmir: On Monday, class XII board examinations began peacefully in Kashmir with nearly 95 per cent of the 32,000 students writing their papers, marking the resumption of educational activity in the Valley after schools remained shut for over four months due to the unrest. Barring a few minor law and order incidents in some places, the test on the first day was conducted smoothly at more than 450 centres across Kashmir, including 73 in the summer capital here, officials said. About 94.88 per cent of the total 31,964 students appeared in the examination, an official of Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE), which conducts the examinations, told PTI. The official said the overall attendance of the students was up by 2.56 per cent from last year. Kashmir Valley: Signs of normalcy: Some shops opened while passenger vehicles plied in some areas of the city and other towns of the Kashmir Valley today where banks witnessed heavy rush of customers. Meanwhile, the death toll in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir today rose to 86 as an elderly man injured in security forces action against protestors two weeks ago succumbed at a hospital here. Ghulam Mohammad Khan (70), who was hit by a tear smoke shell fired by security forces on protestors at Anchar locality of Soura on November 2, succumbed to injuries at a hospital this morning, a police official said. Eleswhere in the Valley, normal life remained affected for the 132nd consecutive day due to the unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in July. Shops, fuel stations and other business establishments were shut in Srinagar as well as in other district headquarters of the Valley due to the strike called by the separatists, officials said. They said while the annual board examinations were currently on, the class-work in schools, colleges and universities remained affected due to the unrest. Most of the public transport in the Valley was also off the roads. However, in some areas in the civil lines and the outskirts of the city here as well as in some other towns of the Valley, few passenger vehicles were seen plying, the officials said, adding few shops were also open in these areas. Some inter-district cabs, connecting the summer capital with other districts of the Valley, were also plying. Many vendors have put up their stalls along TRC Chowk-Batamaloo axis through Lal Chowk city centre, while banks were also open across the Valley and witnessed rush of customers. The separatists, who are spearheading the ongoing agitation since Wani's killing in an encounter with security forces on July 8, have announced two full days of relaxation on Saturday and Sunday in the agitation programme -- the first full day relaxation since July 8.