Two individuals were killed by police gunfire in West Garo Hills, Meghalaya, on Tuesday amid an ongoing night curfew imposed due to protests against non-tribal candidates’ participation in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections set for April 10, according to police. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Kongkal Sangma on Saturday. (@SangmaConrad) The two deaths led authorities to enforce a 24-hour curfew, request an Army flag march, and send in more forces as tensions kept spreading across the plains belt. “I respectfully request the Army’s assistance to conduct a flag march in the plain belt areas of West Garo Hills district, given the current tense law and order situation,” wrote West Garo Hills district magistrate Vibhor Aggarwal to the Commanding Officer of 101 Area, Eastern Command. Aggarwal stated that deploying armed forces would significantly reassure the public, prevent additional incidents, and rebuild residents’ confidence. He added that a flag march would act as “a clear show of readiness and dedication to upholding peace and stability.” The unrest started last week with the opening of nominations for GHADC elections, when the council required Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates for candidates, sparking both support and opposition throughout the region. Tensions escalated after protesters outside the deputy commissioner’s office in Tura reportedly blocked and assaulted former Phulbari MLA Esmatur Mominin as he tried to file his nomination, leading to demonstrations in the plains belt area. Police rescued the former MLA, who was observed limping and missing his left shoe as he entered a police vehicle. On Monday, tensions had escalated following vandalism of shops in Chibinang, prompting police to use blank firing to break up the crowds. The shooting took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning as security forces tried to break up a crowd amid curfew enforcement. Authorities report that security measures have been ramped up in high-risk zones, with police and district officials keeping a close watch on developments. The GHADC poll controversy has escalated into a full-blown law-and-order crisis in parts of West Garo Hills, marked by two deaths, curfew restrictions, vandalism, and demands for Army deployment, fueling worries over how the volatile situation could impact the lead-up to next month’s council elections.