A bunch of protesters in Leh demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion within the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution set hearth to the Bharatiya Janata Party workplace within the metropolis on Wednesday, ANI reported.
The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution ensures safety for land and nominal autonomy for residents in designated tribal-dominated areas. In Ladakh, greater than 97% of the inhabitants belongs to the Scheduled Tribes.
On Wednesday, the demonstrators clashed with and threw stones on the police, and set hearth to a police automobile. The protesters have been holding a starvation strike and had referred to as for an entire shutdown to demand statehood.
At least 4 individuals have been killed and 45, together with 22 police personnel, have been injured within the protest, PTI quoted unidentified officers as saying.
“Three to 5 younger folks have been killed as a result of there was police firing,” The Indian Express quoted local weather activist, Sonam Wangchuk, who has been main the protests, telling reporters. “We have stories that many individuals have been injured. We don’t know the precise rely.”
To carry the scenario underneath management, the district administration in Leh banned 5 or extra individuals from assembling, ANI reported. The order by the district Justice of the Peace stated that no processions, rallies or marches may be held with out prior written permission.
Following the violence, Wangchuk referred to as off his 15-day starvation strike, NDTV reported.
Wangchuk additionally stated that violence was not the correct manner and referred to as for restraint.
On Tuesday, an aged girl and a person had fainted throughout the starvation strike, information of which unfold rapidly, prompting college students to name for a shutdown on Wednesday, The Indian Express reported.
#WATCH | Leh, Ladakh: BJP Office in Leh set on hearth throughout an enormous protest by the folks of Ladakh demanding statehoothe d and the inclusion of Ladakh underneath the Sixth Schedule changed into clashes with Police. https://t.co/yQTyrMUK7q pic.twitter.com/x4VqkV8tdd
— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2025
“This morning, numerous folks moved in direction of the anshan (starvation strike) web site,” Congress chief Tsering Namgyal advised the newspaper. “The youth went uncontrolled.”
Namgyal added {that a} vital variety of police and paramilitary personnel have been already current on the location.
Wangchuk stated he was saddened by the violence in Leh. “My message of peaceable path failed at present,” I enchantment to the youth to please cease this nonsense. This solely damages our trigger.”
VERY SAD EVENTS IN LEH
My message of peaceable path failed at present. I enchantment to youth to please cease this nonsense. This solely damages our trigger.#LadakhAnshan pic.twitter.com/CzTNHoUkoC— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) September 24, 2025
On August 5, 2019, the BJP-led Union authorities abrogated the particular standing of Jammu and Kashmir underneath Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the state into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
This, together with the shortage of a Legislature in Ladakh, has led to growing insecurities among the many residents of the Union Territory about their land, nature, assets and livelihoods and stoked fears that the area’s cultural id and fragile ecosystem could also be in jeopardy.
In this backdrop, civil society teams have been demanding that Ladakh be included within the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in order that its id may be protected.
Commenting on the demand, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated: “Ladakh wasn’t even promised Statehood, they celebrated UT standing in 2019 and so they really feel betrayed & indignant.”
Abdullah added: “Now attempt to think about how betrayed & upset we in J&Ok really feel when the promise of statehood to J&Ok stays unfulfilled although we’ve gone about demanding it democratically, peacefully & responsibly.”
The inclusion of Ladakh within the Sixth Schedule would permit for the creation of autonomous growth councils to manipulate land, public well being and agriculture. Ten such councils exist in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, the one states the place the Sixth Schedule has been carried out.
Wangchuk had on September 10 began a 35-day starvation strike to push for the calls for. He has held a number of protests demanding constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, together with a 21-day starvation strike forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
In June, the Union authorities introduced in an ordinance to amend the reservation coverage in Ladakh. According to the ordinance, 85% of jobs and admissions in skilled instructional establishments in Ladakh shall be reserved for residents of the Union Territory.
However, civil society teams stated that the ordinance was solely the “first step” and that the core issues pertaining to statehood and Ladakh’s inclusion within the Sixth Schedule remained unaddressed.
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