Clashes over Ladakh statehood leave 4 dead in Leh; Sonam Wangchuk calls off strike

Four people were killed and 30 others injured in intense clashes between protesters and security personnel during the Leh Apex Body (LAB) sponsored shutdown in Leh town of Ladakh on Wednesday, officials said.

Police had to resort to firing to bring the situation under control after the protesters, who have launched an agitation for statehood for Ladakh and extension of the Sixth Schedule, indulged in widespread violence, attacking a BJP office and several vehicles, they said.

The protesters claimed that the four people were killed in police firing.

Meanwhile, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a 15-day hunger strike in support of the movement, called off his fast amid the violence.

Flames and dark smoke clouds could be seen from afar amid a complete shutdown in the Ladakh capital.

The administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS to ban the assembly of five or more people, officials said.

“I request the youth of Ladakh to stop the violence forthwith as it only causes harm to our cause and further deteriorates the situation. We do not want instability in Ladakh and the country,” Wangchuk told his supporters who had gathered in large numbers at the venue of the strike.

As the clashes intensified, Wanchuk also put out a video message on his X handle appealing to the youth to remain peaceful and stop violence.

The Leh Apex Body youth wing called for the protest after two of the 15 people, who were on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10, were shifted to a hospital after their condition deteriorated on Tuesday evening.

Responding to the protest call, Leh town shut down and large crowds assembled at the NDS memorial ground and later took out a march through the streets of the town, chanting slogans in support of the Sixth Schedule and statehood, officials said.

The demonstration escalated, with protesters attempting to storm the office of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh.

Police prevented the protesters from entering the building, after which they began pelting stones at the premises and at security personnel. Several vehicles were also set ablaze, prompting the police to respond with tear gas and baton charges to control the situation.

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Groups of youth also targeted the BJP office and set ablaze a security vehicle. They set fire to furniture and papers within the complex and one of the buildings.

Reinforcements were rushed to the scene and the situation was brought under control after several hours of intense clashes, officials monitoring the situation added.

Ladakh’s key representative bodies — the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA)— have been in talks with the Central Government for nearly three years over demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards.

A fresh round of talks is scheduled between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh representatives, comprising members of the LAB and the KDA, on October 6.

The KDA had called for a complete shutdown in Kargil on Thursday in solidarity with the people on the hunger strike and to press for advancing the talks.

Heavy police deployment has been put in place across both districts of Ladakh—Leh and Kargil. — with PTI