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 services were suspended, and a curfew was imposed on Monday evening. Despite the restrictions, protesters reportedly took to the streets defying the curfew. Vibhor Aggarwal, the District Magistrate of West Garo Hills, said the situation remained tense across the district. He stated that additional security forces had been deployed, including paramilitary personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Army, which was also scheduled to conduct a flag march to maintain order.
Aggarwal further said that a peace committee meeting was held with community leaders at the district headquarters in Tura to help restore normalcy in the area. Meanwhile, three non-tribal individuals, including former MLA SG Esmatur Mominin, were allegedly assaulted or manhandled when they went to Tura to file their nominations for the GHADC elections. The nomination process began on Monday.
The controversy stems from a notification issued by the GHADC last month making a Scheduled Tribes certificate mandatory for candidates contesting the council elections. The move triggered protests among non-tribal communities in the region. The GHADC, which has 30 seats, was established along with the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to safeguard tribal rights. Currently, two non-tribal members are elected to the council, and the Garo Hills region also has a significant non-tribal population.