Four people killed and over 30 injured in Leh during LAB-sponsored shutdown.
Protesters attacked BJP office and vehicles demanding Ladakh statehood and Sixth Schedule extension.
Clashes triggered after hunger-striking activists were hospitalised; police resorted to firing and baton charge.
At least four individuals were killed and over 70 others injured during intense clashes between protesters and security personnel in Leh town on Wednesday. The unrest erupted during a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) to demand statehood for Ladakh and the extension of the Sixth Schedule to the region.
According to PTI, the protests turned violent when demonstrators set fire to a BJP office and a police vehicle. Security forces responded with teargas and baton charges to disperse the crowds. Protesters claimed that the four fatalities resulted from police firing.
The protests were sparked by the deteriorating health of two individuals who had been on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10 in support of the statehood and Sixth Schedule demands. Their condition worsened on Tuesday evening, leading to their hospitalization and prompting the LAB youth wing to call for the shutdown.
In response to the violence, authorities imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, banning gatherings of five or more people in Leh. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a 15-day hunger strike as part of the movement, called off his fast, urging youth to cease violence and maintain peace.
The unrest underscores growing frustrations among Ladakh's population over political representation and governance since the region's reorganization in 2019. A fresh round of talks between Ladakh representatives and the central government is scheduled for October 6.
(With inputs from PTI)
