YANGON: Three anti-coup protesters were shot dead in Myanmar on Monday as demonstrators across the country sought to paralyse the economy with strike action following a weekend of night raids and arrests.

The country has been in turmoil since a February 1 coup ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and triggered mass protests against the new military junta.

The police and military have responded with an increasingly brutal crackdown on demonstrators, with more than 50 people killed and nearly 1,800 arrested.

Despite the risk, protesters rallied in parts of the commercial capital Yangon, the second-largest city Mandalay and other towns around the country. In some areas, the authorities once again responded with force.

In the northern city of Myitkyina, security forces used tear gas and opened fire during street clashes with stone-throwing protesters.

A live Facebook stream of the incident showed protesters dragging multiple wounded demonstrators away by the arms and legs.

There was also grisly footage of bleeding bodies lying on beds as health workers frantically tried to resuscitate them.

One man was also seen lying face down, with part of his skull blown out.

A poignant image in local media showed a Catholic nun in a white habit on her knees in the street, pleading with police to show restraint.

“Two men were shot dead on the spot, meanwhile three others including a woman were shot in the arm,” a medic told AFP.

A third protester was shot dead in the town of Pyapon in the Irrawaddy Delta region, an eyewitness and a rescue official told AFP.