Two people were killed in police firing early Tuesday, March 10, after security personnel moved to disperse an unlawful assembly during curfew hours in Chibinang village in Meghalayaâs West Garo Hills district, officials said. The shooting has raised tensions in the region ahead of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections scheduled for April 10.
Police sources said unrest had been building in recent days after clashes between tribal and non-tribal groups linked to the GHADC election process. Security forces intervened when a group gathered in Chibinang despite a night curfew imposed across several sensitive areas of the district, the sources added.
Officials said the situation escalated during the intervention and personnel opened fire in an attempt to disperse the crowd. Two people sustained fatal injuries; authorities have not yet disclosed their identities.
In response to the incident, the district administration tightened restrictions across West Garo Hills. The earlier night curfew was extended into a full-day clampdown to prevent further violence, and additional security forces were deployed to maintain law and order, officials said.
The curfew had been imposed on Monday night across 37 villages identified as sensitive after protests by local NGOs opposing the participation of non-tribal candidates in the GHADC nomination process. Authorities had enforced restrictions from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am during the nomination period, which runs from March 9 to March 16.
Administrative coordination along the inter-state border has also been stepped up to prevent any spillover of tensions. On Tuesday, officials from Assamâs Goalpara district met their counterparts from North Garo Hills at the Deputy Commissionerâs office in Resubelpara to discuss security preparedness ahead of the elections.
The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the neighbouring districts, which share a long and sensitive border, including planning for movement and transportation of law-and-order forces. Abhishek Saini, Deputy Commissioner of North Garo Hills, was among the senior officials present.
Security agencies remain on high alert as authorities work to stabilise the politically sensitive Garo Hills region and ensure a peaceful election process.
