Charred remains of vehicles after the violent protest at the BJP Office, over the Statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
A magisterial inquiry ordered by the Ladakh administration on Wednesday (October 1) to probe the “serious law and order situation” on September 24 in Leh city, which led to the deaths of four persons, including a Kargil War veteran, and left over hundred injured, has been rejected by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).Cherring Dorjay Lakruk, the co-convenor of LAB, a group involved in talks with the Union Home Ministry since 2023 to demand constitutional safeguards for the region, told The Hindu that the probe ordered by the administration is an “eyewash” and demanded a “judicial inquiry”.Sajjad Kargili of the KDA rejected the inquiry and sought an “independent investigation”.Mr. Lakruk said the administration has conveyed that it will allow lawyers to meet climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, detained under the National Security Act since September 26, at the Jodhpur central jail.Gitanjali J. Angmo, Mr. Wangchuk’s wife, said that though it has been more than five days since the arrest, she was yet to get a copy of the order or hear anything formally from the police.On Thursday, the LAB submitted the “grounds of talks” in writing to the Ministry. It had announced the conditions on September 29 while calling off the talks.“We have written to the Ministry that pending judicial inquiry the talks cannot be held. Secondly, we have also pointed out that the Ministry should condemn the campaign being run on social media by the Bharatiya Janata Party and pliant media against the Ladakhis calling them anti-nationals and pro-Pakistan,” Mr. Lakruk said.The group has demanded the unconditional release of detained and arrested youth who were picked up by police following the September 24 violence.On Thursday, 26 out of 39 people arrested were released on bail. The bail order by Tsewang Phuntsog, chief judicial magistrate, Leh, said the accused were released on a bond of ₹20,000 each. The order said that the accused will not leave Leh without the permission of the court and will cooperate with the investigating agencies. The oldest among the accused is a 63-year-old man and the youngest is a 19-year-old. The accused also include two residents from Nepal and one resident of Bihar. Several Nepalese citizens live and work in Leh city.The Ladakh administration on October 1 deputed Sub-Divisional Magistrate Nubra, Mukul Beniwal, to lead the magisterial inquiry. In a public notice, the SDM asked the members of the public to submit documents or videos from October 4-18.“By virtue of this notice, any person(s) having information about the incident or who is willing/desirous to give oral evidence/ written statement/ material evidence (photos or video recordings) before the inquiry officer regarding the incident may appear before the undersigned and provide statements/evidence as per the schedule given,” the notice read.It added that the “terms and reference of the inquiry are to ascertain the detailed facts and circumstances leading to the serious law and order situation, police action and resultant deaths of four individuals namely- Jigmet Dorjey, Rinchen Dadul, Stanzin Namgail and Tsewang Tharchin.”Mr. Wangchuk was on the 15th day of a 35-day hunger strike on September 24 when violent protests erupted in Leh city which led to the death of four people and injuries to around 150 people, including security personnel. Published - October 02, 2025 01:26 pm IST
