NAROWAL: Police arrested six people who were protesting against nonavailability of drinking water here on Tuesday.

A transformer supplying electricity to water pumps installed to provide drinking water to the residents of Mohallah Esa Nagri, Narowal, had shut down three days ago due to a technical fault. It was, however, replaced on Tuesday following the protest.

The residents claimed they had complained to the tehsil municipal administration (TMA), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) and district government authorities several times to repair or replace the transformer to restore water supply to the area, but to no avail.

Residents of Esa Nagri had been without water for three days in such harsh weather conditions.

On Tuesday, residents took to thestreets, blocked Circular Road, burnt tyres and shouted slogans against the TMA, Gepco and the district coordination of ficer.

They demanded immediate restoration of water supply.

Police contingents, led by the Narowal City station house officer, reached the scene and tried to disperse the protesters, but they did not budge. Police allegedly baton-charged the protesters to disperse them, arrested six of them and shifted them to Narowal City Police Station.

The protesters condemned the alleged torture by police and demanded the chief minster take notice.

They had also demanded the TMA and the district government be ordered to take measures to restore water supply to them.

TMA Administrator Tariq Karim Khokhar said the transformer had been replaced, adding Gepco authorities had provided it to them three days later, which caused the delay.