June 04, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 29, 1429

SUKKUR, June 3: Police resorted to baton-charge to disperse people protesting against hours-long power outages and water shortage at Ayub Gate, here on Tuesday.

Irked by hours-long power outages and subsequent water shortage, hundreds of residents of Ayub Gate, Takkar Muhalla, Gharib Abad, Race Course Road and other areas, including women and children raised slogans against Hesco and taluka municipal authorities.

Protestors burnt tyres and blocked Station Road for more than an hour due to which vehicular traffic between Sukkur and Rohri was suspended.

Police contingent reached the spot and asked them to end blockade which they refused. A scuffle took place between police and protestors after which police resorted to baton-charge. This further aggravated the situation forcing women to hurl stones on policemen.

Sensing the gravity, Nazim Union Council-7 Takkar Muhalla Shoukat Ali reached there and held negotiations with the protestors. They complained of long and frequent power outages which had made their lives hell and also acute water shortage.

The nazim assured to take up the matter with Hesco and taluka municipal authorities on which the protest was ended.