After 23 days of communal unrest, Section 144 has been removed in Purola town of Uttarkashi district in Uttarakhand. Community-specific shops have started opening under police protection after the situation improved on Saturday.

Balekhan belonging to a minority community opened his shop on Saturday morning, other shops opened in the evening. SDM Devanand Sharma said, "Shops have started opening and now there is an atmosphere of peace in the area. The district administration has also removed Section 144."