The Centre has despatched a fresh batch of paramilitary troops to Kashmir at a time it has been scotching speculation that the build-up was linked to possible revocation of Article 35A that grants special rights.

Police sources confirmed more troops were on their way to the Valley but did not specify the figure. NDTV put the number of additional troops at 25,000. Last week, 10,000 troops had been sent to Kashmir.

The Valley is already on edge. National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Thursday with a request not to take any measure that would further destabilise the state.

The government has repeatedly denied that the troop reinforcement was related to Article 35A. It had said the deployment was a “deliberate and calculated response to the need of the security grid”.