Hundreds of residents of the city of Minya Al-Qamh in Egypt's Sharqiya Governorate blocked the Cairo-Zagazig highway as well as the city's railway line Sunday morning to protest a perceived security vacuum, Ahram’s Arabic news website reported.

Gunshots were heard during the protest. Angry protesters also set tires ablaze and placed wooden slats on railway tracks, which in turn brought traffic and train movement to a complete halt.

Local residents are infuriated following the hijack of a car at gunpoint in Al-Walga village late on Saturday. Seven girl passengers were kidnapped during the incident.

The incident follows two similar crimes in the town over the past few days, when a local girl went missing and another was killed by a rickshaw. Dozens have been protesting over the last couple of days in the aftermath of both incidents.

Minya Al-Qamh is the second largest town in the Sharqiya governorate in Egypt's Nile Delta.