Meghalaya

Conrad K. Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, has made a heartfelt appeal to citizens to maintain peace and refrain from violence amid recent tensions in the region. In a video message, the Chief Minister revealed that he had earlier received information that different groups and several individuals were heading towards his residence with the intention of burning his house and attacking his family. According to him, based on this information and in accordance with security protocol, he was advised to relocate to another place for safety. However, he stated that he chose not to leave his residence and declined the suggestion to move, saying he was not afraid. The Chief Minister said that his life ultimately rests in the hands of the Lord. He also reaffirmed his identity as an A·chik (G...

Tension gripped parts of West Garo Hills district in Meghalaya on Wednesday,  March 11, after a large crowd gathered amid rumours linked to the filing of nomination papers for the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections, leaving at least two persons reportedly injured, after allegedly clashing with security forces. According to reports, the unrest began when a massive crowd assembled outside members’ hostel in Tura and later marched towards the Deputy Commissioner’s office, raising slogans and delivering speeches. The gathering was reportedly triggered by rumours that Muslim candidates were arriving to file nomination papers for the GHADC polls, leading to heightened tensions in the locality. The situation escalated as the crowd moved through several loca...

A team of Meghalaya Police faced a mob attack in Wajidpur–Shikrawa village, Nuh district, Haryana, while attempting to apprehend accused ATM robber Rahul Khan. The police were attacked on Shikrawa–Bhadas Road, resulting in one officer being injured. An attempt-to-murder case has been filed against 12 identified and several unidentified assailants who tried to free Khan, who is wanted for multiple ATM thefts across various states. Approximately 20 to 30 individuals, including women, surrounded the police vehicle, throwing stones and attempting to grab keys and weapons. In self-defense, police personnel fired shots, injuring a local youth, Tarif Khan, in the leg; he is now in stable condition. The situation escalated when Khan attempted to take control of the police vehicle. F...

Curfew has been relaxed in East Garo Hills district of Meghalaya for three hours from 8 am to 11 am on Thursday.Curfew was imposed after violence erupted during protests over the nomination process for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections. Deputy Commissioner RP Marak said the temporary relaxation was granted to enable people to purchase necessities while security forces continued to maintain strict vigil in sensitive areas. The state government has also suspended mobile internet services across five districts of the Garo Hills region as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of rumors and maintain law and order.Meanwhile, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had appealed to all sections of people to maintain peace. "At this critical juncture I appeal to all our cit...

The Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) has announced the cancellation of two Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) examinations in West Garo Hills due to the prevailing volatile situation in the district. According to an official notification issued from Tura on March 10, the examinations scheduled for March 11, 2026 (Music) and March 12, 2026 (Anthropology) have been cancelled for West Garo Hills district only. The board stated that the cancelled examinations will be rescheduled on later dates, which will be notified in due course. However, the notification clarified that HSSLC examinations in all other districts of Meghalaya will continue as per the existing schedule. The notice was issued by T. R. Laloo, Director of Accreditation and Controller of Examinati...

Shops at Police Bazar and GS Road on Shillong  remained closed on Wednesday afternoon ahead of a public gathering organised by the Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (COMSO) at Motphran (Bara Bazar). Shop owners said they decided to close their establishments after receiving requests from a section of pressure groups. However, a few local shopkeepers claimed that they voluntarily shut down their businesses in support of the ongoing movement in the Garo Hills. Meanwhile, security arrangements in and around Motphran and adjoining areas were strengthened in view of the public meeting. The gathering, called by COMSO, has been organised as a show of solidarity with the Achik (Garo) community, which has been staging protests over what it alleges is a rise in illegal immigra...

The government of Meghalaya has decided to postpone the April 10 elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) following recent violence in the region that claimed two lives. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the decision was taken after reviewing the prevailing law and order situation in the Garo Hills. “Looking at the current situation in Garo Hills and understanding the difficulties people are facing at the moment, the Government of Meghalaya has decided to postpone GHADC elections,” Sangma said in a video message on Wednesday. Officials said the situation in West Garo Hills district remained calm but tense, with the district administration extending curfew until midnight of March 13. Authorities have also continued the suspension of mobile internet services in t...

The Meghalaya government has indefinitely postponed the elections for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), originally scheduled for April 10, due to violence that erupted over a controversial notification preventing non-tribal individuals from contesting. Following the unrest, which resulted in two fatalities, a curfew was imposed, and internet services were suspended. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma stated that the decision reflects the current situation and public sentiment and indicated that discussions will take place to determine the future course of action regarding the elections.

The Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) has deferred exams for two papers of the Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) examination in the West Garo Hills district as a precautionary measure in the wake of clashes between tribal and non-tribal groups over the nomination process for the GHADC polls. According to the board, the Music and Anthropology papers of the Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) examination scheduled for March 11 and March 12 have been deferred in the district. “The HSSLC examinations scheduled for March 11 (Music) and March 12 (Anthropology) stand cancelled for West Garo Hills only. The same will be rescheduled on dates to be notified later,” said T. R. Laloo, Director of Accreditation and Controller of Examinations of M. Bose. ...

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.