Meghalaya: 2 dead, 4 injured in police firing during curfew
Early Tuesday in Chibinang, Meghalaya, police opened fire during a night curfew, resulting in two deaths.
The curfew was put in place after tensions flared over new rules for the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
Things got worse after clashes broke out following a controversial Scheduled Tribe certificate rule, leading to unrest among local groups.
GHADC elections at risk
The violence has raised concerns about the GHADC election process.
There are concerns the nomination process could be disrupted, although authorities have not announced any postponement of nominations or polling.
The unrest has deepened divides between tribal and non-tribal communities in the area.
Authorities have suspended mobile internet for 48 hours, set up peace committees, and brought in extra security to keep things from spiraling further.
For young people especially, this means uncertainty around local leadership and how community issues will be handled going forward.