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| Centre’s special team likely to assess ground situation in Leh | | | Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 1: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is likely to depute a high-level team to Leh to assess the situation on the ground in the aftermath of the September 24 violence, which left four local residents dead and several others injured when security forces allegedly opened fire on protestors.
Highly placed sources told The Early Times that the MHA has taken “very serious note” of the incident and is preparing to hold its own assessment of the sequence of events. The probe will focus on the reasons that led to the firing, whether adequate restraint was exercised, and whether security forces followed the laid down standard operating procedures (SOPs).
“The Union Home Ministry is committed to ensuring accountability. The central team will gather facts from all stakeholders before submitting its report,” a senior official said.
The team, according to sources, is likely to reach Leh soon after the Dussehra celebrations. During its stay, it is expected to meet senior officials of the Ladakh administration, security agencies, representatives of local bodies, civil society members, and families of the deceased victims to obtain a detailed picture.
The move comes even as the Union Territory administration has already announced a magisterial inquiry into the incident. Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta confirmed on September 26 that a local-level probe had been initiated. However, local political groups and civil society organisations remain unsatisfied, demanding nothing short of a judicial probe headed by a sitting or retired judge.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the two most influential socio-political groupings in Ladakh, have joined hands to push for judicial-level scrutiny. Both groups argue that a magisterial inquiry lacks credibility and may not be able to fix accountability for the loss of civilian lives.
The September 24 violence — described as “unprecedented” in Leh’s recent history — has triggered widespread public anger.
Political observers believe that the MHA’s decision to send its own team is aimed at calming tempers and assuring people that the Centre is sensitive to their grievances.
“The Centre knows Ladakh is strategically critical and politically sensitive. Any perception of injustice could deepen alienation,” an analyst commented.
The unrest comes at a time when Ladakh continues to face external security challenges along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. The Union government has been keen to project the region as peaceful and stable since its bifurcation from Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 and its creation as a separate Union Territory.
The firing incident, however, has dented that image and given fresh ammunition to critics who accuse the government of ignoring local aspirations. With opposition parties across the country also beginning to raise the issue, the central team’s report will likely play a critical role in shaping the government’s response.
Officials maintain that the MHA team’s visit will be a “fact-finding exercise” rather than a replacement for the ongoing magisterial probe. However, its findings may ultimately influence whether the government yields to the demand for a judicial inquiry.
The coming weeks will therefore be crucial in determining how the Centre balances local sentiment, administrative accountability, and national security considerations in Ladakh. |
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