Ladakh protest: 4 killed, 30 injured; Wangchuk asks youth to stop 'nonsense'

Four people were killed and 30 others injured in intense clashes between protesters and security personnel during the Leh Apex Body (LAB) sponsored shutdown in Leh town of Ladakh on Wednesday (September 24), officials said.

Police had to resort to firing to bring the situation under control after the protesters, who have launched an agitation for statehood for Ladakh and extension of the Sixth Schedule, indulged in widespread violence, attacking a BJP office and several vehicles, they said.

The protesters claimed that the four people were killed in police firing.

The Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) youth wing called for the protest after two of the 15 people, who were on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10 in support of the twin demands of statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule, were shifted to a hospital after their condition deteriorated on Tuesday evening.

Wangchuk blames frustration among youth

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday expressed sadness over the incidents of violence and blamed the frustration building among the "Gen Z" for the violence in which four youths were killed. He urged the youth to "stop this nonsense".

"My message of peaceful path failed today. I appeal to youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause," he wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.

Also read: Four years of protests and Centre’s apathy: Why Ladakh exploded

Authorities on Wednesday promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in Leh district of Ladakh, banning assembly of five or more persons.

The climate activist, who was leading a hunger strike in Leh over the twin demands, called off the hunger strike after a large number of youths took to the streets.

Addressing an online press conference, Wangchuk said two of the protesters, a 72-year-old man and a woman (62), were taken to a hospital on Tuesday, and claimed that it was most likely the immediate trigger for the violent protest.

2,000-5,000 youth took to streets

Wangchuk said frustration had been building among the youths as the peaceful protests were not yielding any results. He also said there are reports that three to five youths were killed.

Giving the sequence of events, he said a large number of 'Gen Z' youths came to the protest site on Wednesday, where prayers were being held. He said 2,000-5,000 youth then took to the streets.

"Two people were taken to the hospital yesterday. That appears to be the immediate trigger... It moved the younger generation. Youths of Ladakh together gave a call for Ladakh bandh, and all the people gathered at the site where we were sitting on a fast.

"As the programme was progressing with prayer and speeches, a group of young people went out raising slogans. Later, we heard they went on a rampage, burnt police vehicles and the BJP office in Leh," Wangchuk said.

"What happened today is very sad. It is being said that three to four youths have been killed," he said.

UT status fuels resentment

The protests were fuelled by the growing perception among Ladakhis that the Union Territory status granted to Ladakh in 2019 has only led to corruption and administrative apathy in the region, while the rights of the people, particularly over land and local employment, have been compromised.

The protest was held in support of the demand to advance the proposed talks with the Centre on the extension of the Sixth Schedule as well as statehood to Ladakh.

Also Read: Stripped of J-K quota, no infra at home, Ladakhi students on protest path

Fresh round of talks

The Home Ministry had recently announced that it will hold talks with Ladakhi leaders on October 6 while the Leh Apex Body had demanded that the talks be held earlier.

A fresh round of talks is scheduled between the Centre and Ladakh representatives, comprising members of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), on October 6.

Back in 1989, Ladakh had erupted in violence over demands by local groups for Ladakh being carved out of the then state of Jammu & Kashmir as a Union Territory. Three people had died in police firing during those protests, which laid the foundation for the setting up of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (Leh).

(With agency inputs)