Shillong, March 10 Two persons were killed in "police firing" to disperse a gathering during curfew hours in Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district early Tuesday, officials said.
The incident has heightened tensions in the region just weeks before elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) scheduled for April 10.
The firing occurred in Chibinang village where tensions had been simmering in recent days amid disputes linked to the upcoming GHADC polls.
According to officials, security personnel moved in after a group of people allegedly assembled despite restrictions imposed under a night curfew across several sensitive areas of the district.
Police sources said the situation turned volatile when authorities attempted to disperse the crowd, leading security personnel to resort to firing to control the situation.
Two individuals sustained fatal injuries in the incident. Officials said the identities of the deceased are yet to be confirmed. Following the incident, the district administration tightened restrictions across West Garo Hills.
The night curfew that had been earlier imposed in selected areas has now been extended into a full-day curfew across the district to prevent further escalation of tensions.
Additional security forces have also been deployed in vulnerable areas to maintain law and order.
Authorities had earlier imposed night curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. across 37 villages identified as sensitive after protests by several local organisations opposing the participation of non-tribal candidates in the GHADC election process.
The restrictions coincided with the nomination period for the council polls, which began on March 9 and will continue until March 16.
Meanwhile, administrative coordination efforts have also intensified along the inter-state border with Assam.
Officials from Assam's Goalpara district held a meeting with their counterparts from Meghalaya's North Garo Hills district on Tuesday to review security preparedness ahead of the elections.
The meeting took place at the Deputy Commissioner's office in Resubelpara and focused on strengthening coordination between the neighbouring districts, which share a long and sensitive border.
Senior officials, including North Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Saini, attended the meeting.
Authorities emphasised that close coordination between the two districts will be essential to maintain peace and stability in the border areas during the election period.
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