Desk Report:
At least four people have been killed and dozens injured in clashes with police in Ladakh, demanding a separate state and job quotas for locals, two local sources confirmed to Reuters on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s government in 2019 separated Ladakh from Jammu and Kashmir and declared it a union territory. Since then, it has been directly administered by Delhi.
Led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, the protesters have long been demanding special status for Ladakh. On Tuesday, two hunger strikers who were with her fell ill and were admitted to hospital, further fueling public anger.
Indian news agency ANI reported that several buildings, including the BJP headquarters in Leh city, were vandalized and set on fire. ANI’s video showed black smoke billowing from the office’s boundary wall and hundreds of people chanting slogans.
Indian TV channels also showed a police van on fire. Local media reported that some young protesters threw stones at the police, and the police used tear gas to disperse them. A police source said that more than 50 people, including 20 policemen, were injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike for 15 days, broke her hunger strike after the violence. She said, “They have come out on the streets because of the frustration of the youth… I appeal to the youth to avoid violence.”
Wangchuk added, “This is not a solution to the problems of Ladakh… If our youth are suffering and suffering that we are on hunger strike, then we are breaking our hunger strike from today.”
The lieutenant governor of Ladakh and the police did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment. In a circular, Deputy Commissioner Romil Singh Donk banned protests, public gatherings and provocative speeches to maintain peace.
Ladakh shares a long border with China and is a strategic region for India. So this situation is of great concern for Delhi. The Home Ministry said that a high-level committee has been formed and a meeting has been fixed for October 6. The meeting will be held with representatives of the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance and various social, political and religious organizations.
But representatives of Ladakh told the media that the Home Minister has admitted that the declaration of a separate Union Territory was a mistake and their demand has been effectively rejected. After this allegation came to light, the movement took a more explosive shape.
