3 min readGuwahatiUpdated: Mar 12, 2026 09:53 PM IST
After a night of arson and vandalism at Tura in Meghalaya’s Garo Hills, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, along with his wife and MLA Mehtab Chandee, visited different parts of the town on Thursday in an attempt to calm tensions prevailing since Monday.
Tura is the headquarters of West Garo Hills, which has been gripped by violence and tensions since Monday over the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections that have since been postponed, with Garo groups opposing the participation of non-tribals in the polls.
The entire district has been under curfew and mobile internet prohibition. On Thursday, curfew was relaxed for two hours in the afternoon by the district administration to “facilitate public to purchase essential items”. The district administration has also notified that the curfew would be relaxed for four hours from 9 am to 1 pm on Friday.
The relaxation comes after an escalation of tensions in Tura town on Wednesday, with vandalism and arson by mobs. One of the structures torched by mobs in the town was the office of Conrad Sangma’s National People’s Party. PTI reported that a vehicle part of the convoy of a Border Security Force DIG was also torched on Wednesday.
In a video message on Wednesday, speaking in his native Garo language, Sangma said that he had been advised to move to a safer location due to information that mobs were moving towards his home in Tura with the intention of attacking his family.
“Based on this information and in accordance with my security protocol, I was advised to move to another place. However, I did not leave, and I did not agree to relocate, because I am not afraid,” he said.
On Thursday, he visited various parts of the town, meeting residents in an attempt to calm tensions.
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“Visited several locations in Tura to assess the damage caused to public and private properties across the town. It is truly heartbreaking to witness the extent of destruction. Distressed to see the loss suffered by individuals and commercial establishments,” he said on Thursday.
“At times like these, our humanity must rise above the issues. I humbly appeal to all my people to uphold the spirit of peace, respect and brotherhood that defines us. Let us protect what we have built together and refrain from acts of vandalism and aggression,” he said.
(With PTI input)
