On 9-10 March 2026, West Garo Hills in Meghalaya erupted into the worst communal violence the state has witnessed in years. Two people were killed, over 40 injured, and large sections of the Chibinang and Tura markets were set ablaze. The trigger was an assault on a non-tribal former legislator who attempted to file nomination papers for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections. The deeper cause was a February 2026 notification barring non-tribal candidates from contesting – a move that struck at the GHADC’s 30-seat structure, where 2 seats have historically been held by non-tribal representatives.
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