THATTA, July 30: A large number of growers of Shah Bunder taluka blocked the Thatta-Badin National Highway for three hours on Monday in protest against acute shortage of water in their area.

Led by Dr Nazir Memon, Ali Muhammad Jamari, Pir Roshan Shah and Sultan Jamari, the protesters raised slogans against irrigation officials of lower Pinyari division.

They had arrived in a motorcade and held a sit-in at the Branch Mori regulator bridge.

Station House Officer Ashok Kumar of Sujawal police station, PPP leader Pir Ghulam Rehmani and Assistant Engineer of Irrigation Mujeeb Rehman Seharr tried to persuade the protesters to disperse, but they refused.

Many protesters fell on the road and were injured when police fired in the air.