In stepped-up violence ahead of the assembly bypolls in Jammu & Kashmir, five persons were killed and at least 33 injured as militants set off a series of grenade explosions in Srinagar on Friday.

Five persons were brought dead to the SMHS hospital in Srinagar after the blasts, medical superintendent Waseem Qureshi said.

Militants carried out seven grenade attacks in Srinagar, targeting security forces.

Militants targetted a joint checkpost of police and paramilitary forces at the Bohri Kadil area in downtown Srinagar on Friday evening, injuring 3 persons, including 2 cops. 

Earlier in the day, about 13 people, including five jawans, were injured at Sasakadam area in downtown Srinagar late Friday afternoon.

Militants hurled a grenade at a naka party of the CRPF and the local police, authorities said, adding that the area was being thoroughly searched.

Militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the latest grenade explosion.

About three civilian bystanders were killed and two others were seriously wounded in a powerful hand grenade explosion in Dalgate area, on the banks of the Dal Lake.

Militants hurled a grenade targetting a posse of securitymen at Dalgate, regulating the passage of traffic, which exploded on the road killing three civilians and injuring two others, police said, adding that the injured had been shifted to a nearby hospital.

Minutes later, militants hurled another powerful hand grenade at a Central Reserve Police Force bunker at Amirakadal in the heart of summer capital Srinagar, injuring 12 civilians.

Two of the injured succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. The condition of some of the injured is described as critical. The BSF vehicle, which the ultras had targeted was also damaged in the explosion, they said.

Militants then struck a security forces bunker at Magarmal Bagh but there were no reports of any injuries in it, the sources said.

At around 1245 hrs, the ultras hurled a grenade on a police vehicle in Batamaloo area in which three persons, including two policemen were injured, they said adding that the vehicle was also damaged.

Radical pro-Pakistan militant outfit, Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen, has claimed responsibility for the grenade blast outside the BSNL headquarters.

The blasts, coming just ten days ahead of the assembly bypolls in Sangrama, Rafiabad, Pattan in Baramulla district and Bhaderwah in Doda district, sparked panic in the entire city marring Eid and Baisakhi celebrations.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is seeking to enter the state assembly from Bhaderwah.

They also coincided with the visit of a delegation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to take part in a conference.

Two municipal councillors and a political worker were shot dead by the ultras last fortnight in north Kashmir immediately after the notification for the bypolls by the Election Commission.

With PTI inputs