Four people were killed and dozens wounded as demonstrations in Leh over demands for full statehood and Sixth Schedule protections turned violent, the Union Home Ministry said in a statement. The ministry asserted that activist Sonam Wangchuk’s “provocative statements” during his hunger strike guided the mob into arson and clashes.
Security forces opened fire in self-defence after protesters attacked a ruling party office and the CEC Leh building, and torched a police vehicle, the statement added. The ministry claimed the unrest was largely contained by 4 pm, aside from early violence.
Officials confirmed that 59 people were hurt in the unrest, including 22 police personnel. A curfew and prohibitory orders banning public assembly were imposed in Leh.
Wangchuk, who had been on hunger strike since 10 September pressing for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, ended his fast amid escalating violence. He urged the protesters to uphold peace even as he withdrew from the protest camp via ambulance.
Local authorities said protesters had lobbed stones, set vehicles ablaze, and ransacked portions of the BJP office and the Council Secretariat complex. Tall plumes of black smoke were seen rising from burned offices. Security forces responded with tear gas and baton charges before resorting to firing.
The government’s narrative seeks to frame the unrest as the handiwork of agitators attempting to derail the ongoing dialogue with Ladakhi organisations. In its statement, the Home Ministry asserted that the administration had already engaged in multiple formal and informal talks with the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance, and that several demands put forward by protesters were under discussion in a High Powered Committee. It emphasised that triggers for protest, such as increasing reservations for Ladakh Scheduled Tribes from 45 % to 84 %, recognition of local languages Bhoti and Purgi, and implementation of 1,800 recruitment posts, were steps already taken under that mechanism.
Opposing voices have disputed the Home Ministry’s version of events. Proponents of the movement insist the violence stemmed not from Wangchuk’s speeches but from pent-up frustration over what they see as Delhi’s unfulfilled promises since the 2019 reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir. They argue that continued delays in granting statehood or mandated constitutional protections have alienated youth and eroded faith in peaceful channels.
Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta appealed for calm and described “vested interests” as stoking the mayhem. He called the day “tragic”, extended condolences, and asserted that the administration would take strict action against perpetrators. Meanwhile, Leh’s district administrator formally cancelled the closing day of the annual Ladakh festival in light of instability and public safety concerns.
Protesters have long articulated four core demands: full statehood for Ladakh, extension of the Sixth Schedule to safeguard tribal land and cultural rights, division into two parliamentary constituencies for Leh and Kargil, and job and educational reservations for locals. Environmental stress and fears about unchecked development in an ecologically fragile region have also figured prominently in local discourse.
Thupstan Tswang, chairman of the Leh Apex Body, decried the loss of life but vowed the demand would press on. “Some of our youth have given their lives for this cause. Their sacrifices will not go in vain,” he declared.
Political fallout is already evident. The BJP has accused Congress of fomenting unrest, alleging that Congress councillor Stanzin Tsepang was filmed instigating the mob. Congress, for its part, dismissed such claims as attempts to shift blame and distract from the central government’s failure to deliver.
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