Violent protest in Leh on Wednesday left four people dead and at least 80 others injured, including 40 police personnel, as long-standing demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards in Ladakh erupted into clashes with security forces.
The unrest began after the Leh Apex Body (LAB), which has led a five-year campaign for statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, called for a shutdown. By midday, demonstrators had set fire to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Leh, a police vehicle, and several private cars. Authorities responded with tear gas and firing, imposing a curfew across the district.
The Union Home Ministry said the violence broke out around 11:30 a.m. and was brought under control by 4 p.m. “An unruly mob destroyed public property and attacked the police, injuring around 30 security personnel. The police had to resort to firing, in which unfortunately some casualties are reported,” the ministry stated.
Ladakh Lieutenant-Governor Kavinder Gupta confirmed the deaths in a televised address. He said, “Deployment of security personnel was made in the wake of a shutdown call to maintain law and order in Leh. As a precaution, curfew has been imposed across the district.”
Activist Calls Off Fast
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a 15-day hunger strike pressing for Ladakh’s statehood and Sixth Schedule status, ended his fast after the violence broke out. He condemned the actions of the protesters but pointed to deep frustration among young people.
“For the last five years, we have maintained peace and followed Gandhi’s path. But today was something totally unexpected, very organic, when youth came out and went on a rampage,” Wangchuk told India Today TV.
He linked the unrest to unemployment and unmet promises. “On one hand they have been jobless for the last five years, and democracy has been curtailed. Their demands have been unmet. This frustration was pent up inside,” he said.
Wangchuk rejected allegations that the protests were orchestrated by political parties. “Totally, totally apolitical,” he said, adding that Congress representatives had been asked to step aside to avoid any perception of politicisation.
Govt and Political Reactions
The BJP accused the opposition Congress of instigating the protests. Party spokesperson Sambit Patra named Congress councillor Stanzin Tsepag as an “instigator” and claimed the violence was politically motivated.
Congress leaders denied the charge. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the unrest reflected growing anger at the denial of statehood. “Ladakh wasn’t even promised statehood, they celebrated Union Territory status in 2019, and now they feel betrayed. Imagine how we in J&K feel, with promises still unfulfilled,” Abdullah posted on X.
Left parties also blamed the Centre. CPI(M) general secretary M. A. Baby accused the BJP of betraying Ladakhis. “People’s anger is reflected on the streets, though attack on party offices is not the solution,” he wrote. The CPI(ML) Liberation said the Union government was “solely responsible” for the situation.
Former Jammu and Kashmir police chief S. P. Vaid called the events a “deep-rooted conspiracy” designed to derail talks with the Centre. “Someone responsible should be identified, and strict legal action should be taken,” he told ANI.
Talks Scheduled
The violence came days before fresh discussions between Ladakhi representatives and the Centre. A High Powered Committee set up by the Narendra Modi government is scheduled to meet the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance on October 6. Informal talks were also being considered for September 25–26.
Government officials questioned why violence erupted despite talks being scheduled. Some pointed to Wangchuk’s earlier remarks about protests in Nepal and the Arab Spring. Wangchuk dismissed those claims, insisting he had always intended the movement to remain peaceful.
Demands for Ladakh’s statehood and Sixth Schedule status date back to 2019, when the region was carved out of Jammu and Kashmir and made a Union Territory. Protesters say this change stripped Ladakh of legislative powers, leaving it directly controlled from Delhi.
In interviews last year, Wangchuk said the Sixth Schedule was vital for empowering Ladakh’s tribal communities to make decisions about their land and resources. He also warned about the risks of industrialisation and climate change in the fragile Himalayan region.
On Wednesday night, as Leh remained under curfew, Wangchuk appealed for calm. “I will only and always take the peaceful path,” he said. “Not only until this is solved, but until my death.”
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