Indian-administered Kashmir remains under lockdown

Phone lines and internet have been down for 10 days, but lockdown set to be eased on Thursday.

The strict lockdown that has been in place for 10 days in Indian-administered Kashmir, following India’s decision to revoke the region’s special status, looks set to be eased starting on Thursday. But phone lines and the internet will remain down.

The Indian government revoked the special status of Indian-administered Kashmir in its constitution, the most far-reaching political move on the disputed region in nearly 70 years.

A presidential decree issued on August 5 revoked Article 370 of India’s constitution that guaranteed special rights to the Muslim-majority state, including the right to its own constitution and autonomy to make laws on all matters, except defence, communications and foreign affairs.

In the lead-up to the move, India sent thousands of additional troops to the disputed region, imposed a crippling curfew, shut down telecommunications and internet, and arrested political leaders.

Al Jazeera’s Faiz Jamil reports from New Delhi.