Srinagar: Security forces have detained several stone-pelters and other anti-social elements following targeted civilian killings across Kashmir.

Security forces have launched a massive crackdown against "anti-social elements" in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of targeted terror attacks on minorities in the Union Territory.

Around 70 youths have been detained in Srinagar after the Kashmir Valley witnessed seven civilian killings in a week. In all, 570 people have been detained across Kashmir.

Several stone pelters and other anti-social elements have been detained by Jammu and Kashmir Police and are being questioned.

The Centre has also dispatched a top official of the Intelligence Bureau to Srinagar to coordinate operations against terrorists. Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at 15 locations in Jammu and Kashmir as part of its strategy on crackdown against terror-related activities.

TARGETED CIVILIAN KILLINGS ROCK VALLEY

Of the six civilians killed in the last five days, four were from minority communities and six of the deaths took place in Srinagar, the main urban centre of the Valley.

A woman principal and a teacher were shot dead at point blank range inside a government school in Srinagar on Thursday.

Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent Kashmiri Pandit and owner of Srinagar's most famous pharmacy, was shot dead at his shop on Tuesday.

A 'Chaat' vendor, Virendra Paswan from Bihar, and another civilian, Mohammad Shafi Lone, were also killed on Tuesday in Srinagar and in Bandipora respectively .

According to official statistics, a total of 28 civilians were killed by terrorists so far in 2021.

Out of the 28 killed, five persons belonged to local Hindu or Sikh communities and two were non-local Hindu labourers.