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| Leh erupts in unrest: 4 dead, 60 injured; curfew imposed | | | Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 24: At least four people were killed and 60 others injured on Tuesday when protests in Leh, which had been described as “peaceful,” spiraled into unprecedented violence. Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew across Leh town to prevent the situation from worsening.
“Curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure to save the situation from further deteriorating because some elements are trying to instigate people,” Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta said in a message posted on social media.
Although authorities have yet to confirm the number of deaths in the violence, LG Kavinder Gupta admitted that some people have lost their lives.
Environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike for the past 15 days, called off his fast in response to the violence and appealed to agitating youth to maintain calm. “Our agitation has been going on peacefully for the last couple of years, but today’s violent incident has shaken our faith, and it will further complicate things in the days to come,” Wangchuk said. He urged both the youth to shun violence and the administration to avoid excessive use of force, warning that the movement for Ladakh’s rights could be jeopardized otherwise.
Co-chairman of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and former minister Chering Dorjay Lakrook also condemned the unrest. “What happened today was unfortunate. Our agitation has always been peaceful,” he said, adding that LAB would soon convene a meeting to decide the future course of action.
The unrest broke out after a bandh call was given by the youth wing of the LAB, supported by various social, religious, and student groups. A large gathering at NDS Memorial Ground later marched through different parts of Leh.
The protests turned violent when some youth attacked the BJP headquarters and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) building. Protesters also torched a police vehicle and damaged several others, while setting fire to furniture and documents inside the BJP office complex. Security forces responded with baton charges and teargas to disperse the crowds.
In view of the clashes, authorities imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS, banning the assembly of five or more people.
The escalation comes just weeks before the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is scheduled to hold talks with Ladakh’s agitating groups. On September 20, the MHA extended an invitation to both the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) for the next round of discussions on October 6.
The agenda of the talks includes four key demands, prominently statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule. The last meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) was held on May 27.
Ahead of the upcoming Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections, the Apex Body recently decided to exclude political leaders from its delegation. Senior Congress leader Nawang Rigzin Jora and activist Sonam Wangchuk were dropped from the panel.
The annual four-day Ladakh Festival, which began on Sunday, was abruptly cancelled on Wednesday following the violence.
Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta was scheduled to attend the closing ceremony. In a statement, the Department of Information and Public Relations said, “The administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh has announced the cancellation of the last day and closing ceremony of the ongoing Ladakh Festival due to unavoidable circumstances. The administration deeply regrets the inconvenience caused to all stakeholders including local artists, cultural troupes, tourists, and the people of Ladakh who were eagerly looking forward to the event.”
The statement also appealed for public cooperation and thanked people for their participation and support during the festival. |
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