A soldier sent to Bahrain to quell anti-government protests was shot dead on Tuesday by a protester, according to news reports.

The soldier was shot by a person in a crowd of protesters in the capital of Manama, said reports, citing unnamed security officials.

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Around 1,000 security forces from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf of Arabia countries were sent to Bahrain on Monday. The United Arab Emirates also sent 500 police officers.

Members of Bahrain's Shia majority population have been engaged in protests against what they see as discriminatory policies by the tiny country's monarchy backed by the Sunni minority.

Bahrain's king Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah (photo) on Tuesday imposed a three-month state of emergency giving his country's military chief sweeping powers to put down a pro-democracy uprising that has threatened the ruling monarchy.