Three people have been killed and a number of buildings torched in protests in Guyana over the government's gradual reduction of electricity subsidies to a local supplier, officials said.

The protests late Wednesday in the impoverished town of Linden , southeast of the capital, Georgetown , came after a 400% increase in power costs, Provincial Chairman Sharma Solomon said.

Thousands took to the streets, and the protests swelled after three people were killed and several others wounded by shotgun pellets.

The protesters hurled glass bottles and bricks at police and set fire to several buildings and to trucks carrying fuel, lumber and machinery as police attempted to disperse them with tear gas.

Guyana 's Prime Minister Samuel Hinds slashed the subsidy to $9.2 million from $12.8 million, saying the incremental decrease was aimed at gradually weaning the local population off the energy subsidy.

Mr. Hinds said he regretted the "thuggery" of the protest organizers, and urged those who have suffered losses to go to court and seek compensation.
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