Ladakh violence Credit Tnp (Credit Tnp)
Ladakh violence: The demand for statehood in Ladakh descended into violence on Wednesday, leaving at least four people dead and over 60 injured, including 30 security personnel. Described as the worst day of unrest in the region in recent times, the day saw widespread clashes, arson and attacks on public property. The agitation for statehood turned violent as protesters vandalised and set fire to the BJP office in Leh and several vehicles.
By evening, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk announced the end of his two-week hunger strike in support of statehood and the extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh. A complete shutdown in Leh saw shops and businesses remain closed until morning, after which the protest descended into chaos.
The administration has imposed a curfew under Section 163 of the BNSS, which prohibits gatherings of five or more people. Additionally, Congress leader and councilor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag has been charged for allegedly making inflammatory speeches at the hunger strike site on Tuesday.
The youth wing of the Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) called for the protest after two of the 15 people, who have been on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10, were hospitalized on Tuesday evening due to deteriorating health. The hunger strike was aimed at pressuring the center to resume talks on its four-point demands, which include statehood, extension of the Sixth Schedule, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil, and reservation in employment.
According to the report, Leh city remained completely shut on Wednesday in response to the protest call, and a large number of people gathered at the NDS Memorial Ground and marched through the streets, raising slogans in support of the Sixth Schedule and statehood. The situation escalated when some youths began pelting stones at the BJP headquarters and the Hill Council office. The report states that police and paramilitary forces, deployed in large numbers across the city, fired tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.
The protesters turned violent just days before a new round of talks between the Home Ministry and Ladakh representatives, including members of the Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), was scheduled for October 6. The Home Ministry said Sonam Wangchuk began a hunger strike on September 10, 2025, demanding the extension of the Sixth Schedule and statehood for Ladakh.
It said the Government of India is actively engaging with the Ladakh Apex Body (Leh) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance on these issues, holding several formal meetings under the High Powered Committee (HPC) and its sub-committee, as well as holding several informal discussions with regional leaders.
"The process of dialogue through this mechanism has yielded unprecedented results like increasing the reservation for Scheduled Tribes of Ladakh from 45% to 84%, providing one-third reservation to women in the councils and declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages. Along with this, the recruitment process for 1800 posts has also started," the ministry said in a statement.
The Home Ministry said that the demands for which Wangchuk has undertaken the hunger strike are already an integral part of the discussions within the HPC, adding that despite repeated appeals by several leaders to end the hunger strike, he continued his fast and allegedly misled the public by citing Arab Spring-style protests and Gen Z protests in Nepal.
The statement further said, "It is clear that Mr. Sonam Wangchuk incited the mob through his inflammatory statements. Incidentally, amidst this violent incident, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making any serious efforts to control the situation."
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