In the wake of recent violent protests in Leh, Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, has asserted that no one involved in the disturbances will be spared. The L-G's statement comes after clashes between protestors and security personnel on September 24, 2025, which resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries.
The protests in Leh stemmed from demands for statehood for Ladakh and the extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to the Union Territory. The Sixth Schedule grants special protections to tribal areas, particularly in the Northeast, safeguarding their land, resources, and culture through autonomous councils. Ladakhis have been seeking similar safeguards since 2019, expressing concerns about demographic changes and industrial pressures.
According to reports, four protestors were killed and 58 wounded when police and paramilitary forces allegedly opened fire on demonstrators. Officials stated that the police initially used tear gas and lathi charges before resorting to live rounds after the crowd allegedly hurled stones, wounding at least 20 security personnel. Over 50 people have been taken into custody for their alleged involvement in rioting during the protests.
L-G Kavinder Gupta has termed the violence a "conspiracy" and suggested the involvement of external elements aiming to disrupt peace in Ladakh. He dismissed the protests as neither a revolution nor a local uprising. Gupta stated that some protestors tried to snatch weapons from security forces. He defended the police action, stating that if police had not opened fire, the entire Ladakh would have been burnt down.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB), which has been at the forefront of the agitation for statehood and the Sixth Schedule, has announced that it will abstain from talks with the High Powered Committee of the Home Ministry until normalcy is restored and a conducive environment is established in Ladakh. This decision was made following the deaths of the protestors.
In response to the unrest, the district magistrate of Leh has imposed Section 163 of the BNSS, which prohibits rallies and marches without prior written approval. Additional security forces have also been deployed to maintain order. While the curfew imposed after the September 24th protest was relaxed for a few hours on Monday, the situation remains tense.
The Union Home Ministry had invited the LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) for talks on October 6, 2025, to discuss the demands for statehood and the Sixth Schedule. However, the recent violence and the LAB's decision to suspend talks have cast a shadow over the negotiations.
