Ladakh Leaders Demand Judicial Probe, Allege Cops Fired At Protesters

Demands are growing louder for a judicial probe into police firing that killed four people and left over 30 injured after protests demanding statehood for Ladakh turned violent. The protests came even as activist Sonam Wangchuk, now under arrest under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), sat on a hunger strike.

Four people, including a former Army soldier, were killed in firing after arson and clashes when the police tried to control violent protests for statehood in Ladakh on Wednesday. At least 50 people have been arrested so far in connection with the violence that broke out during the shutdown called by Leh Apex Body (LAB) to demand an extension of the Sixth Schedule and statehood for Ladakh.

Protesters had burnt down the Union Territory's BJP headquarters, the Hill Council office and police vehicles in Leh. Police and security forces opened fire, besides using tear gas shells to control the situation. An indefinite curfew has since been imposed in Leh.

While the government blamed Mr Wangchuk for inciting this violence, local leaders alleged indiscriminate firing by security forces on protesters and demanded action against those involved in firing on civilians. "It's a clear case of disproportionate use of force. I demand an impartial and judicial probe into the killing of protesters and injuries many people," said Haji Hanifa Jan, Member of Parliament from Ladakh.

Joining the chorus for this demand were LAB and Ladakh Buddhist Association. Both powerful bodies of Ladakh rejected claims of any outsider hand in protests in Leh. They said some people from Jammu and Kashmir's Doda, who were injured on Wednesday, were "bystanders when they were hit by bullets during indiscriminate firing". "The youth protesting were educated but unemployed. Attempts are being made to make it appear anti-national. They vandalised BJP flags, not the national flag, and removed Ambedkar's portrait before setting fire to the BJP office," said Chering Dorjey Lakrook, co-chairman of LAB.

Sajjad Kargili, a leader of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), said, "We demand an impartial inquiry into the indiscriminate firing on protestors in Leh and punishment for those responsible. Ladakh stands united for Statehood and Sixth Schedule - and also against the undemocratic UT setup which has failed to redress our issues of democracy and constitutional rights. Authorities should also drop the cases which have been filed given the sensitivity of the situation."