Judicial inquiry into September 24 Leh violence starts today

The judicial inquiry into the September 24 violence in Leh will begin on Saturday, with the probe panel inviting aggrieved persons to record their testimonies before its members.

On October 17, the Centre addressed a key demand of the protesting Ladakh groups by announcing a judicial inquiry headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice BS Chauhan into the violent clashes that claimed four lives, including that of a Kargil war veteran.

According to an order issued on Friday by Qureshi Tariq Mehmood, Consultant, Law and Justice Department, the inquiry will be held at the Alternate Dispute Redressal Centre, Melongthang, Leh, from October 25 to 28.

“Necessary arrangements for conducting the inquiry shall be made on a priority basis,” the order stated, urging all interested or aggrieved persons to appear before the judicial panel to record their statements.

The September 24 clashes broke out between security forces and protesters demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory. The violence left four civilians dead and over 100 injured, intensifying an agitation that had been building for months.

As per the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the inquiry commission, led by Justice Chauhan, has been tasked with investigating the circumstances that led to the law and order breakdown, the police action taken, and the resultant deaths.

Retired District and Sessions Judge Mohan Singh Parihar will serve as Judicial Secretary, while IAS officer Tushar Anand has been appointed as Administrative Secretary to the commission.

The violence followed a prolonged hunger strike led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who fasted for 35 days to press for statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. In the aftermath of the unrest, both the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) had refused to hold talks with the MHA until their demand for a judicial probe was accepted.

After weeks of back-channel discussions, the Union Government last week ordered the judicial inquiry, paving the way for the resumption of dialogue.

Leaders from Ladakh and senior Union Home Ministry officials held formal talks in New Delhi on Wednesday, marking the first official engagement between the two sides since the September 24 incident.