Violence erupts in Leh as statehood protesters clash with police

Leh city of Ladakh witnessed violence this morning when protesters demanding statehood clashed with the police.

A police vehicle was burnt, and officials were pelted with stones in the first such incident during the ongoing agitation.

Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets, pressing for statehood and constitutional safeguards. They had earlier called for a complete shutdown and have been observing a hunger strike.

The protesters also attacked the BJP office in Leh. Police responded with lathi charges and tear-gas shelling to disperse the crowds.

For the last two weeks, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike in support of the demand. Protesters also want Ladakh to be included under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

The unrest comes ahead of a meeting between the Centre and Ladakh representatives scheduled for October 6. Talks are expected to resume on the people’s demands.

Over the past three years, Ladakh has seen rising discontent against direct central rule. Many residents have repeatedly called for statehood and safeguards to protect their land, culture, and resources.

Ladakh was carved out as a separate Union Territory in August 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir. At first, many in Leh, including Sonam Wangchuk, welcomed the move. But within a year, concerns grew about a political vacuum under the Lieutenant Governor’s administration.

This discontent sparked large-scale protests and hunger strikes. For the first time, political and religious groups from Buddhist-majority Leh and Muslim-majority Kargil came together on a joint platform — the Apex Body of Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance.

In response, the Centre formed a high-level committee to examine the demands. But successive rounds of talks failed to achieve a breakthrough.

In March, Ladakhi leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi. The talks soon collapsed. Local leaders said the Home Minister dismissed their key demands.

A leader who attended the meeting said that during the discussions, the Home Minister admitted he had made a mistake by carving out Ladakh as a separate Union Territory. The leader added that the minister also rejected their demand for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule.