Authorities in Meghalaya’s East Garo Hills district relaxed the curfew for three hours on Thursday morning after violence broke out in parts of the Garo Hills region over the nomination process for the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.The curfew, which had been imposed earlier under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), was relaxed from 8 am to 11 am to allow residents to step out and purchase essential commodities such as food, medicines and other daily necessities. Officials said the temporary relaxation was given to ease difficulties faced by local residents after the restrictions were put in place to control the law and order situation.East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner R P Marak said the administration decided to allow the limited relaxation so that people could arrange basic supplies for their families. He added that security forces remained on high alert during the relaxation period and continued to monitor sensitive areas closely.
Violence had erupted in several parts of the Garo Hills region during protests related to the GHADC elections. Demonstrators were opposing the participation of non-Garo communities in filing nomination papers for the council polls. The protests quickly turned tense and led to clashes between protesters and security personnel in some areas.The situation turned serious on Wednesday when two people lost their lives during violent clashes in the Chibinang area of South Garo Hills district. Police opened fire to disperse a mob after the situation reportedly became uncontrollable. Several others were also injured during the incident.Apart from the loss of lives, there were reports of arson and damage to public and private property in different parts of the Garo Hills region. Vehicles and buildings were reportedly set on fire in some locations, creating fear among residents.
Following the incidents, the state administration moved quickly to strengthen security arrangements in the region. Additional security forces were deployed in several sensitive locations. Authorities also brought in five columns of the Army to assist civil administration in restoring peace and maintaining order. Of these, three columns were deployed in Tura town while two were stationed in Chibinang, where the clashes had taken place.Amid the growing tension and concerns over public safety, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced that the GHADC elections, which were scheduled to be held on April 10, would be postponed. The decision was taken to allow the situation to return to normal and to ensure that the elections could be conducted peacefully. The state government also suspended mobile internet services across five districts in the Garo Hills region as a precautionary step. Officials said the move was aimed at preventing the spread of rumours and misinformation on social media, which could further inflame the situation.