Stores reported they were running out of supplies in the city of one million, summer capital of Indian Kashmir where an armed revolt against New Delhi's rule has raged since 1989.

"I have only this to sell," said shopkeeper Mehraj-u-Din, pointing to a bucket of old potatoes as residents ran from one area to another to stock up on essentials.

The indefinite curfew is the longest to be clamped on the Muslim-majority region since the early 1990s when the insurgency was at its peak.

The curfew, imposed last Sunday by authorities who hoped to prevent further anti-India protests, was lifted for "four hours" and later reimposed Saturday, a police spokesman said.

Eight people were shot dead during the past week for defying the crackdown, and several separatist leaders -- including the two most senior figures, Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq -- have been detained.

In the past few weeks, the region has been rocked by some of the biggest pro-freedom demonstrations since 1989, when armed Muslim militants launched their separatist revolt.

"I have no milk, vegetables and flour left. Even the shops are empty now," said Irfana Mushtaq, a resident of downtown Srinagar, after returning empty handed from a shopping expedition during the curfew break.

State government authorities said they were seeking to provide enough food and medicines for the region.

"We are ensuring adequate supplies for the valley but more trucks are arriving with food and medicines," Masood Samoun, divisional government commissioner of the Kashmir valley, told AFP.

The relaxation in the curfew in Srinagar came after police used force to quell a fresh separatist protest.

The demonstration erupted late Friday in northern Baramulla town when hundreds of Kashmiris surged on to the streets during a brief curfew break and hurled bricks at police.

Police fired rubber bullets, teargas and warning shots to disperse the brick-hurling protesters, a police official said.

Indian security forces have been accused by human rights groups of using excessive force during the handling of the protests.

On Wednesday, the United Nations' Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights called for a "thorough and independent" probe into the killings.

India dismissed the comments as "unwarranted" and "irresponsible."

The curfew has prevented the publication of regional newspapers over the past seven days and those coming from New Delhi have not been distributed.

Local television executives and editors have also been ordered to suspend news programmes and broadcast only entertainment.