NEW DELHI: India's prime minister has appealed to residents of Indian-controlled Kashmir to shun violence as the Himalayan region remained under a security lockdown and curfew.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the comments in a speech Tuesday in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It was the first time he commented publicly on the recent situation in Kashmir, which has seen a month of violence stemming from massive anti-India protests.

Modi, however, did not invite separatist leaders for talks on the Kashmir issue, as suggested by his party's ally in the region's coalition government.

India's portion of Kashmir has been under curfew since the killing of a rebel commander on July 8 sparked some of the largest protests against Indian rule, killing more than 50 people.