Communal Unrest Case: Ex-Garo Hills Autonomous District Council Member Taken into Custody

Former member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Sofiur Rehman, has been arrested at his residence in the Bhaitbari area under Rajabala Police Station. He faces charges of inciting communal disharmony in Garo Hills amid recent violent incidents that led to two fatalities. According to West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police, Abraham T Sangma, Rehman’s arrest stems from various social media posts that were widely shared and are believed to have contributed to the incitement of violence in the region between March 9 and 11. The unrest began following a GHADC notification that prohibited non-tribals from participating in council elections, which sparked protests from affected groups. These protests escalated into clashes with security forces, resulting in considerable vandalism and damage to both government and private properties, as well as the burning of vehicles.