Srinagar, Oct 11: Authorities tonight imposed curfew across Kashmir valley to foil the proposed march to Hyderpora called by hard line faction of Hurriyat Conference tomorrow.

"Curfew has been imposed across Srinagar district," District Magistrate Srinagar Mehraj Ahmad Kakroo said.

Police vehicles, fitted with public address system, announced imposition of curfew and asked people not to violate the restrictions.

Anyone violating the curfew will be dealt with strictly, the police warned.

A police spokesman said the authorities have decided to impose Valley-wide strict curfew restrictions tomorrow following 'Hyderpora Chalo' call given by separatists.

However, security forces have been asked to allow those students appearing in the Board examinations and the concerned staff with the examinations on production of their admit cards and identity cards.

Underground separatist leader Masrat Alam has called a march to Hyderpora residence of chairman of hardline Hurriyat faction Syed Ali Shah Geelani who has been under house arrest for nearly one month now.

Meanwhile, a security jawan, injured in a gun battle with militants in Sopore yesterday, succumbed to injuries today even as life across Kashmir valley returned to normal but authorities imposed curfew in Shopian town as a precautionary measure following several days of stone pelting.

Lance Naik B Singh of the Army was injured in an encounter with security forces in Lathishat village of Sopore town yesterday. He succumbed to injuries at a hospital today, sources said.

One Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant, identified as Ikrama alias Topiwala was killed in the encounter while his local guide Showkat Ahmad was apprehended alive. The slain militant, who was also operating under the codename of Abu Qitaal, was a Pakistani national.

Elsewhere in the Valley, life returned to normal for the day as hard line faction of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani suspended its strike and agitation schedule for one day. As per the calendar issued for October 6-16, Geelani had asked people to carry out normal activities today.

Srinagar city and other major towns of the Valley bustled with activity early in the morning as shops, schools, business establishments, banks, petrol pumps, Government, semi-Government and private offices opened after remaining closed for two days.

Public and private transport was back on the roads as massive traffic jams were witnessed at many important intersections in the city, especially Batamaloo, Lal Chowk, Jehangir Chowk, Dalgate, Maulana Azad Road, Hari Singh High Street and Naz crossing.

The section of the city from Dalgate to Batamaloo witnessed huge rush as it acts as a transit point between North and South districts of the Valley.

The vehicles were moving at snail's pace even on the only functional flyover in the Valley as traffic police seemed to be at wits' end due to their failure to cope up with huge rush. Many people preferred to walk instead of taking public transport as a distance of kilometer usually covered in three to four minutes took 45 minutes to one hour to traverse.

While most of the Valley was relishing the rare day of normalcy, curfew was imposed in Shopian town in south Kashmir as the stone pelting incidents have taken place there for the past several days.

The protests broke out on Friday after police arrested four local youth and booked them under Public Safety Act for their alleged involvement in fuelling street protests. However, authorities decided to impose curfew today as they apprehended that miscreants might take advantage of large gathering in the markets to incite anti-national protests.

A police spokesman said the law and order situation across Kashmir valley remained by and large peaceful. However, sources said, stone-pelting incidents were witnessed at some places including Nowgam-Natipora road in the outskirts of the city. The protestors were chased away by security forces by using batons.

There were no reports of anyone getting injured in the brief clashes.

JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was taken into preventive custody along with seven of his colleagues at Mirgund in Budgam district while he was on his way to visit Palhalan in Baramulla district.

The JKLF chairman was heading towards the highway town of Palhalan, which was one of the towns where most of the killings took place during the ongoing agitation in the Valley, to express solidarity with the bereaved families.

Vice chairman Bashir Ahmad Bhat and senior leaders Shoukat Ahmad Bakshi, Mohammad Iqbal Gandroo and Sheikh Abdul Rashid were among those detained by the police.