Leh violence: Govt orders judicial inquiry after 4 deaths, Sonam Wangchuk faces allegations

Leh/Jammu (The Uttam Hindu): The administration has ordered a judicial inquiry into the September 24th violent clashes in Ladakh over the demand for full statehood, which left four people dead. The Deputy Commissioner of Leh issued the order, stating that the investigation will be completed within four weeks. The government had blamed social activist Sonam Wangchuk for the violence.

According to the order, Nubra Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Mukul Beniwal has been appointed the investigating officer in the entire case. Beniwal appealed to the public that if anyone has any information, evidence, audio, or video related to this incident, they can contact the conference hall of the Deputy Commissioner's Office, Leh, during office hours between October 4th and October 18th, to ensure a fair and transparent investigation.

Meanwhile, the situation in Leh is gradually returning to normal. The administration relaxed the curfew for eight hours on Wednesday, from 10 am to 6 pm, after which markets and streets returned to life. However, schools and colleges remain closed, and the internet ban has been extended until tomorrow.

The ongoing agitation demanding full statehood for the Union Territory of Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution turned violent on September 24. Four protesters were killed and several others injured. The rioters also set the BJP office in Leh on fire, forcing the administration to impose an indefinite curfew. Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta called the incident a "planned conspiracy," while the government blamed Sonam Wangchuk for the violence and revoked the FCRA license of his NGO the following day.