The Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered halting of roadside frisking in the state, a ubiquitous phenomenon ever since militancy erupted in the state 13 years ago.

Security forces in J&K had been using sudden stop-and-search operations to, an official of the state police said, 'hamper the movement of militants'.

"On my firm instructions, frequent frisking of people on roads has been stopped," Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said in Srinagar adding, "The Jawahar tunnel on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway will henceforth be kept open till midnight to facilitate movement of the people."

The chief minister made these announcements while addressing a rally on Sunday morning to pay homage to the people who died in an uprising against the Dogra rulers.

He reiterated his government's commitment to work for 'minimising people's hardships' and referred to the various measures taken during the last eight months.

Sayeed asserted that he would never compromise on the 'honour and dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir'.

Meanwhile, at least six army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed in Udhampur district late on Sunday afternoon when the vehicle they were travelling in fell into a gorge on the Mahor Bagga Road.

More reports from Jammu and Kashmir