Sonam Wangchuk calls off strike amid violence in Leh over statehood demand

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday called off his 15-day hunger strike as the movement for statehood for Ladakh and extension of the Sixth Schedule took a violent turn with the BJP office and several vehicles set on fire and hundreds of people taking to the streets.

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 Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) 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.

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.

Related news: Ladakh festival cancelled amid clashes between protesters, police

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. — with PTI