Curfew briefly relaxed in violence-hit Leh; situation peaceful: Officials

Locals in Leh thronged markets on Saturday after authorities relaxed the curfew for a brief period, following violent clashes earlier in the week that resulted in four deaths and nearly 100 injuries.

On Saturday, officials said that they had relaxed the curfew for a few hours. “The situation remained peaceful and people visited shops in good numbers,” said a Leh police official.

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A shopkeeper selling fruits said he opened the shop after four days. “We are hoping things resume to normalcy soon,” he added.

The curfew has remained in force in violence‑hit Leh town of Ladakh since Wednesday, even as police and paramilitary forces intensified patrols and checks, a day after activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested. He was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) and transferred to Jodhpur Jail.

In the main town of Leh, traffic has stayed off the roads, and people are largely confined to their homes. Business activities and markets also continue to remain shut.

Only paramilitary personnel patrolled the near-empty streets. Leh police have established checkpoints at multiple places, keeping a close watch on the movement of travellers. Officials said that additional security has been pressed after Wangchuk’s detention on Friday.