Leh Under Curfew for Second Day

SRINAGAR: A strict curfew was enforced in Leh and its neighbourhood on Thursday, a day after Ladakh’s main town was engulfed in turmoil as protests demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution escalated into violence, claiming at least four civilian lives and injuring over 80 people, half of them police personnel.

Police and paramilitary forces detained at least 59 persons overnight and earlier Thursday for their alleged involvement in the unrest, which erupted during a protest led by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Wednesday.

The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), representing a broad coalition of political, religious, and social groups of Ladakh’s twin regions, have been advocating a four-point agenda: statehood for Ladakh, Sixth Schedule inclusion, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil, and the establishment of a Public Service Commission (PSC) to secure local employment opportunities.

Wednesday’s violence, marked by arson and vandalism, saw hundreds of protesters, led by LAB’s youth wing, set fire to the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office, torch several vehicles, including a security vehicle, damaging the Ladakh Hill Council (Leh) headquarters and causing widespread disruption.

The police responded with tear gas and imposed an indefinite curfew. Some eyewitnesses and the LAB have alleged excessive force, with some claims suggesting the use of live ammunition, but these claims lack corroboration from official sources. Also, there is no definitive evidence from other available sources confirming that police or security forces used firearms against protesters.

Reports indicate that security forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), primarily used tear gas shells to control the violent clashes, which involved arson, vandalism, and stone-pelting by protesters.

On Thursday, prohibitory orders banning gatherings of five or more people were also enforced in Kargil and other towns like Zanskar, Nubra, Padum, Changtang, Drass, and Lamayuru.

Kargil District Magistrate Rakesh Kumar issued orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, prohibiting unauthorized processions, demonstrations, loudspeakers, or public statements likely to disturb peace.

A complete shutdown called by the KDA paralysed normal life in Kargil, Burow, Sankoo, Panikhar, Padum, Trespon, and surrounding areas on Thursday, in solidarity with the Leh victims. Locals expressed outrage over the deaths, accusing security forces of excessive force, including allegations of live ammunition use.

The LAB condemned the violence, calling the protests a response to the government’s failure to address Ladakh’s demands for constitutional safeguards and statehood. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who ended his two-week hunger strike after the clashes, rejected the Union Home Ministry’s claim that his “provocative statements” incited the violence. He called the accusations a “scapegoat tactic” and warned that his potential arrest under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) could escalate tensions.

The PSA, enacted in 1978 in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir to combat timber smuggling, permits preventive detention without trial for up to two years for activities deemed threats to public order or state security. A report from Delhi said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing alleged Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act violations by Wangchuk’s Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL), though no FIR has been filed.

Wangchuk linked the unrest to six years of unresolved issues, including unemployment and unfulfilled commitments regarding statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule. The Centre has alleged the violence was orchestrated by “politically motivated” individuals unhappy with ongoing talks between Ladakhi groups and the High Powered Committee (HPC). The next round of discussions is scheduled for October 6.The BJP has publicly accused the Congress of inciting the violence.

The MHA said that the mob violence was "guided by the provocative statements" of Wangchuk, who continued the strike despite calls to end it. It claimed Wangchuk "misled the people" with references to "Arab Spring-style protests" and "Gen Z protests in Nepal," inciting a mob to leave the hunger strike venue and attack public and political offices. It also accused "certain politically motivated individuals" of being unhappy with the progress in ongoing talks and attempting to "sabotage the dialogue process."

Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta chaired a security review meeting, emphasising vigilance and coordination to maintain peace. He described the violence as a “conspiracy” and vowed action against those responsible. The Ladakh administration urged calm, but with curfews in Leh and shutdowns in Kargil, tensions remain high in the region.

His office wrote on ‘X’, “Lt. Governor chaired a high-level security review meeting to assess the emerging situation across Ladakh, emphasising the need for heightened vigilance, seamless inter-agency coordination, & proactive measures to safeguard peace, security, & public order across UT.”