India's top court has ordered state authorities to stop threats, assaults and social boycotts of thousands of Kashmiri students, traders and professionals in an apparent retaliation for the killing of 40 paramilitary soldiers in a suicide attack in the Indian portion of Kashmir last week.

The Supreme Court acted Friday on a petition filed by attorneys Colin Gansalves and Tariq Adeeb saying that Kashmiri students had to lock themselves up in several cities and towns to escape mob violence after the Feb. 14 attack.

The attack in the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley has raised tensions elsewhere in Hindu-majority India.

Most Kashmiris support rebel demands that their territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country, while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control.