Leh, Sept. 25 — Authorities clamped curfew across Leh on Thursday after violent clashes left four people dead and nearly 100 injured, including security personnel, during protests a day earlier. At least 50 people were detained overnight as police and paramilitary forces patrolled the streets to restore calm.
“Curfew has been imposed across Leh town. The situation so far is stable. Security forces are on ground maintaining calm,” a police officer said. He confirmed that those detained were involved in arson and rioting.
The unrest erupted Wednesday when a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) in support of statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule spiraled into street violence. Protesters set fire to the BJP office and several vehicles and vandalised the Hill Council headquarters, forcing the administration to impose an indefinite curfew.
Officials said three of the injured were Nepali nationals, and investigators are examining whether a foreign hand played a role in the violence.
Restrictions have also been enforced in other towns, including Kargil, where the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) had called a strike in solidarity with climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. Heavy deployments of police and paramilitary personnel in riot gear were reported in Kargil, Zanskar, Nubra, Padam, Changtang, Drass and Lamayuru.
Kargil district magistrate Rakesh Kumar issued sweeping prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, banning gatherings of more than five people, processions or demonstrations without prior written permission. Restrictions were also placed on use of loudspeakers and public statements likely to disturb peace.
Wangchuk, who had been on a fortnight-long hunger strike, ended his protest after violence broke out. Trouble had started Tuesday evening when two of 15 activists on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10 were hospitalised in critical condition, prompting the LAB youth wing to call for mass protests.
The Union home ministry accused Wangchuk’s remarks of inflaming tensions. “Certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the government and Ladakhi groups,” the ministry said. It added that the government was committed to providing “adequate constitutional safeguards” to Ladakh.
Lt. Governor Kavinder Gupta termed the events “heart-wrenching,” saying, “Everyone has the right to speak up in a peaceful manner in a democratic system, but what happened was not spontaneous and was the result of a conspiracy. Curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure to prevent more casualties.”
Despite the restrictions, both LAB and KDA said they will send a six-member delegation — three from each group — to New Delhi for talks. “The situation is normalising and restrictions are in force. Though the security forces are allowing movement of few people or occasional vehicles,” LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay said. He confirmed the delegation would travel to Delhi soon, ahead of a fresh round of talks with the Centre scheduled for October 6.
