New Delhi: Fresh violence has been reported from the northeastern state of Meghalaya, raising concerns about law and order in the region. On Wednesday evening, a group of miscreants attacked personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) in the Garo Hills area. Several BSF jawans were injured in the attack.
The incident took place when a senior BSF officer and his team were returning from a meeting near the India–Bangladesh border in West Garo Hills. During the attack, protesters damaged the convoy and set one vehicle on fire. The senior officer and other officials received minor injuries.
The unrest started after protests linked to the election of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council. Some groups were unhappy with the participation of non-Garo candidates in the election process, which led to demonstrations.
A day earlier, clashes also happened in the Chibinang area. Police fired to control the crowd, and two people were killed while several others were injured.
Following the violence, incidents of burning vehicles and damage to property were reported in different parts of the Garo Hills region. To control the situation, security forces and army units have been deployed in sensitive areas, including Tura.
After the unrest, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced that the council election planned for April 10 has been postponed.
Meanwhile, the government has suspended mobile internet services in several districts of Garo Hills to stop the spread of rumours. A curfew has also been imposed in West Garo Hills to maintain peace and control the situation.
