Curfew was on Friday relaxed in a phased manner in some areas of Gorakhpur where no fresh violence has been reported for the past two days, but minor protests and sit-ins continued in adjoining places.

Curfew has been relaxed in a phased manner in Gorakhpur in three police station areas for two hours each whereas no relaxation has been given in the Gorakhnath police station area where curfew has been imposed for the last five days, ADM (City) P K Agrawal said.

He said the relaxation period from 9 to 11 am on Friday morning passed off peacefully in Kotwali area and people came out and purchased essential commodities.

Agarwal said no untoward incident has been reported from Rajghat area in which curfew was relaxed from 12 to 2 pm on Friday.

However, a bandh called by the Bharatiya Janata Party and allies earlier this week in protest against the arrest of BJP local member of Parliament Yogi Adityanath had its impact and majority of the shops were closed.

Some trade organisations, however, decided to open shop. The situation remained peaceful in and around Gorakhpur barring minor incidents of protests and dharnas in rural areas and adjoining districts.

Passenger trains to and from Gorakhpur were suspended, while buses were not plying.

Meanwhile, commodity prices ran high and there was scarcity of certain essential items even in non-curfew areas as the wholesale market for foodgrains, fruits and other essential items come under the curfew-bound area.