Four Killed, Dozens Injured as Ladakh Statehood Protests Turn Violent in Leh

KalimNews with inputs from Agencies | 24 Sept 2025 | Leh: Massive protests demanding statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution turned violent in Leh on Wednesday, leaving at least four people dead and more than 30 others injured. Authorities imposed prohibitory orders, additional forces were rushed to the Union Territory, and police resorted to teargas and baton charge after groups of protestors allegedly pelted stones and set vehicles ablaze.

The demonstrations, called by the youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), coincided with a shutdown across Leh town. Protestors gathered in large numbers at the NDS memorial ground before marching through the streets, raising slogans for statehood and constitutional safeguards. Officials said the situation spiraled out of control when some youths targeted the BJP office and Hill Council headquarters with stones and later torched a security vehicle outside the BJP office.

Trigger: Hunger Strike and Demands for Talks

The protest was sparked after two of the 15 hunger strikers, who had been on a 35-day fast since September 10, were hospitalised on Tuesday evening due to deteriorating health. The strike, led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, has been part of the larger agitation pressing for Ladakh’s statehood and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule.

Wangchuk, who himself staged a 15-day hunger strike earlier this month before calling it off, appealed for peace but acknowledged growing frustration on the ground. “The violence overpowered our peaceful protest, just in one day, it looks like failing. The political parties here are incompetent, they don’t have the capability to give direction to youths. People are angered,” he told PTI. He added that Ladakhis were demanding a meeting with the Centre well before the scheduled October 6 talks, cautioning against further escalation.

Centre–Ladakh Talks on Horizon

The Ministry of Home Affairs is slated to hold a fresh round of discussions on October 6 with representatives from the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the two bodies spearheading the agitation over the past four years. Both groups have repeatedly sought statehood and Sixth Schedule protections to preserve Ladakh’s unique demographic and cultural character.

The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, currently applicable to tribal populations in Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Assam, provides special governance powers through autonomous councils, including authority over resources, local administration, and financial autonomy. Ladakh’s demand for similar safeguards has been growing since its bifurcation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 and its designation as a Union Territory.

Prohibitory Orders Imposed

Following the unrest, District Magistrate Romil Singh Donk invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), banning assembly of five or more people. “No procession, rally, or march shall be carried out without prior written approval of the competent authority. No one shall use vehicle-mounted or other loudspeakers without approval, and no one shall make statements likely to disturb public tranquility or law and order,” he announced.

Officials confirmed that additional paramilitary and police personnel were deployed across Leh to restore calm.

Reactions

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reacted strongly to the developments, drawing parallels with the unfulfilled promises of statehood to J&K. “Ladakh wasn’t even promised statehood, they celebrated UT status in 2019 and now feel betrayed and angry. Now try to imagine how betrayed and disappointed we in J&K feel when the promise of statehood to J&K remains unfulfilled even though we have gone about demanding it democratically, peacefully, and responsibly,” he wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Wangchuk reiterated that the Centre should advance its engagement with Ladakh’s representatives. “After keeping people hungry for 16 days, the meeting was called. People are demanding that it happen well before October 6,” he said, warning of further unrest if grievances are ignored.

Wider Context

The agitation in Ladakh is not only about statehood but also about securing constitutional mechanisms to protect land, jobs, environment, and culture in the predominantly tribal Himalayan region. The protests underscore both the urgency and fragility of the ongoing negotiations, as discontent intensifies among youth and civil society leaders.

With prohibitory orders in place and a heavy security presence on the ground, Leh remained tense late into Wednesday. The coming days are expected to be crucial, as both the government and Ladakh’s leadership weigh their next steps ahead of the October 6 talks.