Ladakh Protests Turn Violent as Demand for Sixth Schedule Intensifies; 4 Killed, 70 Injured
Over 50 civilians and 20 police personnel were reported injured, with at least two in critical condition.
LADAKH- Violent clashes between protesters demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh and security forces left at least four people 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 the city.
The unrest followed the abrupt end of a 35-day hunger strike led by 15 activists, including noted climate campaigner Sonam Wangchuk, after two strikers were hospitalized on Tuesday night due to worsening health. Organized by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), the protests escalated into violence when youth pelted stones at security forces, who responded with tear gas and baton charges.
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Thousands of protesters, many waving placards and chanting “Statehood for Ladakh” and “Sixth Schedule Now,” took to Leh’s streets Wednesday morning. The situation spiraled when a faction attacked the BJP office and set it ablaze, alongside a police vehicle. Eyewitness videos showed flames and black smoke engulfing central Leh, with police and protesters locked in running battles.
Over 50 civilians and 20 police personnel were reported injured, with at least two in critical condition. Wangchuk, ending his 15-day fast, issued an appeal on X: “I appeal to the youth… don’t walk on the path of violence. This is not a solution.” He urged peace to prevent international embarrassment for India.
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The agitation traces back to 2019, when Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370, but without its own legislature. Once hailed, the move has since sparked discontent over the lack of statehood, tribal land protections, job reservations, and environmental safeguards.
The LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have accused the Centre of ignoring their demands since 2021. With LAHDC elections around the corner, political stakes are rising. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey accused the Congress of fanning unrest, naming local councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag as an instigator.
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By late Wednesday night, Leh remained under an indefinite curfew imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, banning public gatherings. Additional paramilitary forces were deployed, and the Ladakh Festival was canceled.
Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta condemned the unrest as a “conspiracy” by external elements, announcing a probe. The Centre has scheduled talks with LAB and KDA leaders on October 6, but protesters dismissed it as “too little, too late.”
National leaders reacted swiftly: Omar Abdullah, former J&K CM, linked the crisis to India’s unfinished statehood promises, while Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami urged restraint. With hospitals overwhelmed and security tightened, Leh is on edge.
The deadly clashes mark a turning point in Ladakh’s five-year struggle for autonomy, leaving the region’s future hanging in uncertainty.
