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Protesters set fire to a police vehicle and the BJP office in Leh. Police responded with tear gas and batons, resulting in dozens of injuries. Activist Sonam Wangchuk is currently on a hunger strike, calling for either full statehood for Ladakh or constitutional safeguards for its tribal communities, land, and delicate environment.
At least five people lost their lives during the clashes, with police reports indicating a significant number of injuries. Authorities subsequently restricted public gatherings, limiting assemblies to no more than four individuals.
The region, characterized by its sparse population and high-altitude desert landscape, is home to approximately 300,000 residents and shares borders with both China and Pakistan. Around half of Ladakh’s population is Muslim, while roughly 40% adhere to Buddhism.
Ladakh is designated as a “Union Territory,” meaning it elects representatives to India’s national parliament but is governed directly by New Delhi. The protests were organized in support of Wangchuk, who has been on a two-week hunger strike. He demands either full statehood or legal protections for tribal lands, communities, and the environment.
Wangchuk argued that social unrest stems from persistent unemployment among youth and lack of democratic rights, urging people to avoid violence at all costs. The Indian military maintains a substantial presence there, especially in disputed border zones with China. In 2020, clashes in these areas resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers.
In 2019, Modi’s government bifurcated Ladakh from the region formerly known as Indian-administered Kashmir, imposing direct rule. The government has yet to fulfill its pledge to incorporate Ladakh into the “Sixth Schedule” of the Indian Constitution, which would grant autonomous legislative powers to local communities.
Wangchuk highlighted the absence of democratic platforms in the region, lamenting that the promised Sixth Schedule has not been implemented, thereby limiting the people’s self-governance.
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