A militant and a police officer were killed in a gun battle in Indian Kashmir, police said Wednesday, as tensions simmered in the besieged territory.

Schools reopened in Indian Kashmir's main city on Monday but most classrooms were empty as parents kept their children home, fearing unrest over the government's decision two weeks ago to revoke the region's autonomy.

Indian authorities reimposed restrictions on movement in major parts of Kashmir's biggest city, Srinagar, on Sunday after violent overnight clashes between residents and police in which dozens were injured

Seventeen out of around 100 telephone exchanges were restored Saturday in the restive Kashmir Valley, the local police chief told AFP, after an almost two-week communications blackout.

Hundreds of protesters in Indian-administered Kashmir clashed with police on Friday, even as New Delhi said it would begin restoring phone lines after a 12-day communications blackout.

India's government said Tuesday it is easing its lockdown in Kashmir in a "phased manner" after cutting phone and internet access for over a week

Indian troops clamped tight restrictions on mosques across Kashmir for Monday's Eid al-Adha festival

Indian police used tear gas and pellets to fight back at least 10,000 people protesting Delhi's withdrawal of special rights for Jammu and Kashmir state

Authorities in Kashmir eased some restrictions to allow people to attend prayers on Friday but anger was still mounting against India's decision to revoke the special status of the Muslim-majority region, residents and officials said.

Pakistan downgraded its diplomatic ties with India on Wednesday, announcing that it will expel the Indian envoy and suspend trade in a deepening row over New Delhi's move to tighten its grip on Kashmir.

A protester died after being chased by police and more than 100 people were arrested during a curfew in Kashmir's main city after the restive region's autonomy was scrapped by India, officials said Wednesday.

India-administered Kashmir remained on a security lockdown and communication blackout on Tuesday as India's lower house of parliament was due to approve a resolution