Deadly Clashes Rock Leh as Ladakh Protests for Statehood Turn Violent
A complete shutdown gripped the region, with demonstrators torching the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle,
LEH, LADAKH– Violent clashes between protesters demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh and security forces left at least four dead and over 70 injured in Leh on Wednesday, plunging the Union Territory into chaos.
A complete shutdown gripped the region, with demonstrators torching the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle, prompting authorities to impose a strict curfew across Leh city.
The unrest followed the abrupt end of a 35-day hunger strike led by 15 activists, including climate campaigner Sonam Wangchuk, after two strikers were hospitalized Tuesday night due to worsening health. Organized by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), the protests escalated into violence, with youth pelting stones at security forces, who responded with tear gas and baton charges.
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The protests began Wednesday morning as thousands, led by LAB’s youth wing, marched through Leh’s streets, chanting “Statehood for Ladakh” and “Sixth Schedule Now.”
Demonstrators demanded full statehood, tribal land protections under the Sixth Schedule, job reservations, and environmental safeguards. Tensions flared when a group allegedly attacked the BJP office, setting it ablaze alongside a police vehicle.
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Social media footage showed flames and smoke rising over Leh, with running battles between stone-throwing protesters and security personnel. Over 50 civilians and 20 police were injured, with at least two in critical condition, according to local reports. Wangchuk, who ended his 15-day fast, urged calm in a video on X: “I appeal to the youth… don’t walk on the path of violence. This is not a solution.” He cited the hunger strikers’ deteriorating health and the need for peace to avoid international embarrassment.
The agitation stems from Ladakh’s 2019 designation as a Union Territory without a legislature, following the abrogation of Article 370. While initially welcomed, the move has fueled demands for statehood and protections against cultural and environmental erosion in the tribal-majority region bordering China and Pakistan.
The LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have accused the Centre of ignoring their demands since 2021, including job security and land rights amid growing infrastructure projects. With LAHDC elections looming next month, political tensions are high. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey alleged Congress involvement, naming local councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag as an instigator.
Leh remains under an indefinite curfew enforced under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, banning public gatherings. Additional security forces have been deployed, and the ongoing Ladakh Festival was canceled.
Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta condemned the violence as a “conspiracy” involving external elements, announcing a probe. The Centre has scheduled talks with LAB and KDA for October 6, but protesters call it insufficient.
Omar Abdullah, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, highlighted parallels with his region’s statehood struggle, while Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami urged restraint. Hospitals in Leh are overwhelmed, and locals report a tense atmosphere as security tightens. The violence marks a critical escalation in Ladakh’s five-year push for autonomy. With the death toll and injuries mounting, the region teeters on the edge of further unrest unless demands are addressed. For now, Leh remains a flashpoint, its future hanging in the balance.
