Protest for water turns violent in Mumbai, 1 dead

One person was reportedly killed and several injured on Thursday in Mumbai when police resorted to cane charge on unruly demonstrators protesting against water cuts in the city.

Television channel CNN-IBN reported that one person -- identified as 43-year-old Viral Dholakiya -- succumbed to his injuries at the GT Hospital.

A number of protestors received injuries when the riot police used force to disperse them after they tried to force their way into the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters in south Mumbai, officials said.

The agitators, from several parts of the city and its suburbs, had started gathering in front of the BMC office since noon under the umbrella of an NGO -- 'Swabhiman' to protest 15 per cent cut introduced by the local body in view of the water shortage due to scanty monsoon.

Waving red flags and shouting slogans against BMC, the agitators pulled down barricades put up by the police and tried to barge into the Corporation headquarters, prompting the security personnel to resort to cane charge.

Image: A television grab of the protest outside the BMC office in Mumbai.