Deadly north India protests lead to New Delhi water shortage

Authorities in India's capital have closed schools and taken other measures to combat water supply problems caused by violent protests in a neighboring state that have left at least 12 people dead.

Thousands of members of an underprivileged community who are protesting to demand government benefits have damaged equipment that brings water from the Munak canal in Haryana state to New Delhi, depleting the capital's water supply. New Delhi, a city of more than 16 million people, gets about 60 percent of its water from Haryana state.

6 dead in protests for caste benefits in northern India

Hundreds of Indian security forces imposed a curfew and were ordered to fire without warning in a bid to quell protests by members of an underprivileged community demanding government benefits in a northern state, where at least six people have died in clashes, officials said.

The violence raged for a second straight day Saturday and protesters burned several railroad stations and attacked shops and vehicles in several towns in Haryana state, said police officer Y.P. Singhal.