Srinagar, March 7 : Life returned to normal after six days on Saturday in Kashmir Valley as authorities lifted all restrictions and people started their day-to-day routine as usual.

Shops, private transport, other businesses, public transport, banks, post offices and government offices started working as usual in the entire Valley.

Deployments of police and the security forces continued to remain on ground to keep a close watch on the situation as people came out to buy essentials of life.

5G Internet services and call facility on prepaid mobile phones were restored yesterday evening in the entire Valley.

These had been brought down to prevent miscreants and anti-national elements from uploading objectionable content on the social media.

Schools, colleges and universities in the Valley had been ordered to remain closed till March 7 and these will re-open on Monday.

All exams scheduled till Saturday had been postponed by the Kashmir University and the central university of Kashmir.

Officials said new dates would he announced for these exams by the university authorities soon.

Private transport and pedestrian movement also resumed in city centre Lal Chowk in Srinagar.

In order to enforce restrictions, security forces had erected barricades and used coils of concertina wire to block passage inside the city centre during the last five days.

Protests had broken out in the Valley last week after the Iranian supreme leader, Ayatullah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli air strikes on Tehran.

Protesters clashed with the security forces at a number of places during those those protests. The protesters were more aggressive in Shia Muslim dominated areas.

Authorities had imposed restrictions to protect civilian life and property in the Valley. Despite keeping heightened vigil on the situation, police and the security forces showed exemplary patience and professionalism in dealing with the situation.

In order to instill confidence among the people, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah interacted with the members of the civil society including representatives from religious, social, business communities and prominent citizens on Wednesday.

Omar appealed people to observe their grief with dignity and discipline without doing anything to disturb the law and order situation. He had got positive response from the civil society members during that interaction.

/IANS