 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Mar 11: Within days of the appointment of Vinai Kumar Saxena as the new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, the Judicial Inquiry Commission constituted to probe the September 24, 2025 violence in Leh has resumed the process of recording statements of eyewitnesses and officials.
The commission, set up by the Union Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, is currently examining witnesses and is expected to submit its report to the Union Home Ministry after completing the process.
Joint Secretary to the Commission, Rigzin Spalgon, briefed the media about the progress of the inquiry into the clashes that rocked Leh last year.
The inquiry panel is headed by B. S. Chauhan, while Mohan Singh Parihar is serving as Judicial Secretary. The commission's counsel is Himanshu Sharma, and Tushar Anand is assisting in administrative work.
Spalgon said the commission began its work by issuing public notices inviting people and the Union Territory administration to submit affidavits within a specified time frame. The period for submitting affidavits was initially fixed from October 26 to November 25, though it was later extended.
A large number of affidavits were received from both the administration and members of the public. Before the winter break, the commission recorded statements of 22 witnesses from the administration side.
Following the winter recess, the commission resumed hearings and recorded 18 statements over three days from March 7 to March 9, 2026, he said.
Spalgon added that after completing the statements of officials, the commission will begin recording testimonies of members of the public. Around 45 individuals have submitted affidavits, and their statements will be taken up in the coming hearings.
The Union Government had ordered a judicial probe into the September 24, 2025 clashes in Leh, in which four people were killed and nearly 90 others injured, following strong demands from agitating Ladakhi groups.
The inquiry was announced on October 17, 2025, after organisations such as the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) insisted on a judicial investigation before resuming dialogue with the Centre.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the judicial commission headed by Justice Chauhan will examine the circumstances that led to the law-and-order situation, the police response, and the events that resulted in the fatalities.
"On September 24, 2025, a serious law and order situation was created in Leh town, resulting in police action leading to the unfortunate death of four individuals," the Ministry had said in a statement while announcing the probe.
The Ministry further stated that the judicial inquiry was ordered to ensure an impartial investigation into the circumstances leading to the incident, the police action, and the resultant deaths.
The Union Territory's Law and Justice Department has invited all interested or aggrieved persons to present their testimonies before the commission.
Earlier, the UT administration had ordered a magisterial inquiry into the violence, but the move was rejected by both LAB and KDA, which demanded a judicial probe independent of the local administration.
The commission is expected to continue recording statements in the coming weeks before finalising its findings and submitting its report to the Union Home Ministry. |