Violence erupts in Leh over statehood; protesters clash with cops, vehicles set ablaze

Leh district of Ladakh witnessed violent protests on Wednesday morning after the health condition of two individuals supporting educationist Sonam Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike deteriorated.

Wangchuk is on a 35-day hunger strike, demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

In response, youth from across Leh gathered to protest against the Central Government for what they termed the continued denial of “rights to Ladakh.”

The demonstration quickly 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.

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

In solidarity, the KDA has called for a complete shutdown on Thursday. As of the time of filing this report, the situation in Leh remained tense. Heavy police deployment has been put in place across both districts of Ladakh—Leh and Kargil.