PHULBARI: At least two civilians were killed and several others injured after violent clashes broke out between police and civilians in Chibinang area under Phulbari Police Station in West Garo Hills, following tensions linked to the filing of nominations for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
According to local sources, the unrest intensified after former Phulbari MLA S.G. Esmatur Mominin was allegedly assaulted in Tura while attempting to file his nomination for the upcoming council elections. The incident reportedly triggered widespread tension in the plain belt areas of West Garo Hills.
Sources said the situation escalated later in the evening when Mominin returned to his constituency following the assault. Tensions quickly spread across the region, with reports of mob gatherings and confrontations in several locations.
During attempts to control the situation, police reportedly opened fire, resulting in the deaths of two civilians. Official confirmation of the casualties is still awaited, but local reports suggest that 10–12 people sustained injuries during the clashes.
The unrest also led to incidents of vandalism and arson. In Chibinang, the office of the Garo Students’ Union (GSU) was reportedly set on fire, marking the first major act of violence in the area. Shortly after, miscreants allegedly torched shops near the Chibinang tri-junction, leading to a massive blaze that destroyed around 30 shops.
The fire reportedly spread rapidly as gas cylinders stored in some of the shops exploded, causing extensive damage to nearby properties.
Local sources further claimed that three residential houses were also set ablaze during the violence, though no casualties from these incidents have been reported so far.
The chain of events reportedly began around 7:30 PM on Monday, when large groups of people carrying weapons were seen moving through the Chibinang market area. Videos circulating on social media before internet services were suspended showed members of two communities mobilising, which heightened fears of retaliatory violence.
The clashes between civilians and police reportedly continued through the night, with sporadic incidents of confrontation lasting until early morning.
In response to the escalating situation, the district administration imposed a 24-hour curfew across West Garo Hills district to prevent further violence. Authorities have also suspended mobile internet services for two days as a precautionary measure to curb the spread of misinformation and inflammatory content on social media.
Residents in the affected areas largely remained indoors on Tuesday morning as security forces were deployed across sensitive locations to maintain order.
Meanwhile, West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police Abraham T. Sangma is reportedly stationed in Chibinang village, closely monitoring the situation and coordinating efforts to restore peace.
Despite the deployment of security forces and administrative measures, the situation in the region remains tense. Efforts to obtain official confirmation and further details from authorities were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
