Meghalaya

Police in West Garo Hills have ruled out police firing as the cause of death of two persons during the clash that broke out in Chibinang on Monday night.The clarification came after post-mortem examinations were conducted on the bodies at Tura Civil Hospital. The autopsy revealed that one of the victims died after being attacked with a sharp weapon, while the other suffered fatal gunshot injuries from a country- made pistol. Superintendent of Police Abraham T. Sangma said police personnel who were deployed to control the situation had fired blank rounds in an attempt to disperse the clashing groups. However, the post-mortem findings confirmed that no standard police-issued weapons were responsible for the deaths.

A tragic road accident in Nongthymmai claimed the life of a 30-year-old woman late Tuesday night after she allegedly fell from a moving scooter and was run over by a truck. The incident took place around 10:35 pm near the Jyll Shop area in Shillong. The deceased has been identified as S.M. Sangma (30), a resident of Lawmali. According to sources, Sangma was travelling on a scooter driven by her husband, N.D. Shira (32), when the accident occurred. Preliminary reports suggest that the rider attempted to overtake a truck along the busy stretch. During the manoeuvre, Sangma is suspected to have lost balance and fallen from the scooter onto the road. Moments later, she was reportedly run over by the truck, resulting in severe head injuries that proved fatal. Her husband, who was riding the...

On Wednesday, CVD Diengdoh, the Commissioner and Secretary of the District Council Affairs Department in Meghalaya, announced that the State Government is closely monitoring the law-and-order situation in West Garo Hills. This comes amidst the ongoing nomination process for council elections in other Garo Hills districts, even as security measures intensify due to recent violence. To ensure safety ahead of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council Elections scheduled for April 10, 2026, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) have been deployed, and the Army has conducted a flag march in the area to maintain order and restore public confidence. The region has experienced unrest following the reported deaths of two civilians in clashes that started Monday and persisted into Tuesday. Despite th...

The Meghalaya High Court annulled the notification from the Executive Committee of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), issued on February 17, which required candidates in the upcoming GHADC elections to provide a Scheduled Tribe certificate. This ruling allows non-tribal candidates to participate in the polls scheduled for April 10. Justice Hamarsan Thangkhiew stated that the amendment rules concerning this issue should have been sanctioned by the GHADC Executive Committee, approved by the Members of the District Council (MDCs), and assented by the Governor. The court highlighted that the notification was improperly issued without council approval. The ruling comes amid heightened tension in Garo Hills, sparked by protests from non-tribals against the initial requirement, ...

The administration of Meghalaya’s West Garo Hills district has requested the Indian Army to conduct a flag march in sensitive areas following unrest linked to the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). West Garo Hills District Magistrate Vibhor Aggarwal made the request on Tuesday in a letter addressed to the Commanding Officer of the 101 Area, Eastern Command. The move comes after communal tension and public unrest were reported in several plain-belt villages of the district during the ongoing GHADC election process. In the letter, the district magistrate stated that the administration was seeking the army’s assistance in carrying out a flag march in the affected areas due to the tense law and order situation. He said the situation had become sens...

Two people were killed on Monday night after violence erupted in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya over a controversial notification that barred non-tribal candidates from contesting the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), scheduled for April 10. Reports said the violence broke out in the Chibinang area after dusk and continued late into the night. Clashes occurred between tribal and non-tribal groups, while several shops were vandalized and some were set on fire. Police had to open fire in an attempt to bring the situation under control. However, it remains unclear how the two individuals lost their lives. Authorities had anticipated possible unrest due to rising tensions in the district. As a precautionary measure, mobile internet service...

A wave of grief and volatile tension has gripped Meghalaya’s Garo Hills region following a tragic incident of police firing that resulted in the deaths of two individuals and left several others injured during a period of strict curfew. The violence erupted as long-standing political rivalries and ethnic sensitivities reached a boiling point in the lead-up to the crucial Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections, prompting authorities to scramble for control over a rapidly deteriorating security situation. According to local reports, the unrest began when a large group of protesters defied prohibitory orders to gather near a government establishment, leading to a heated confrontation with security forces who were attempting to enforce a total shutdown in the area. Witnesses claim t...

The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Shillong, on Monday inaugurated its annual festival, Fashion Spectrum 2026, with vibrant colours, creativity and comic-inspired elements at its Umsawli campus in Mawpat. This year's theme, "ZAP!", echoed across the campus, symbolising a burst of energy and the creative force that defines life at NIFT. Fashion Spectrum is an annual festival held across NIFT campuses nationwide, bringing together academic excellence and co-curricular engagement. The event serves as a platform for NIFT students and participants from reputed institutions to showcase creativity through cultural, literary, environmental and sporting activities. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, chief guest Bamin Tarang, Director of Human Resource Development & Employ...

South Garo Hills–based social activist Greneth M. Sangma has issued an open letter to Muslim community leaders in Garo Hills, urging them to promote communal harmony and respect the constitutional safeguards governing the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC). The letter, dated March 10, was addressed to Rajabala MLA Mizanur Rahman Kazi, former MDC Sofior Rehman, former MLA and MDC Esmatur Mominin, and other community leaders. In the letter, Sangma expressed concern over what he described as growing tensions triggered by debates on social media and legal challenges related to the functioning of the GHADC. Highlighting the constitutional framework, Sangma stated that the GHADC operates under Article 244(2) of the Constitution and the Sixth Schedule, which are designed to protec...

Two persons were killed in police firing early Tuesday as officers dispersed an unlawful assembly during a night‑curfew enforcement, West Garo Hills SP Abraham T Sangma confirmed. The incident followed a clash between tribal and non‑tribal groups amid rising tensions around nominations for the April 10 Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections. “They were residents of Chibinang. There was a clash between tribals and non‑tribals regarding the GHADC elections, and the firing occurred while we were dispersing an unlawful assembly,” Sangma said. “The situation right now is under control,” he added. The district administration has extended curfew to a full‑day clamp across West Garo Hills and ordered additional forces to guard against further escalation.