Four killed, 61 injured; Indefinite curfew imposed in Leh after unprecedented violence

At least four persons were reported killed and sixty-one others injured when the ongoing "peaceful" protest in Leh turned violent this afternoon.

Ladakh authorities imposed an indefinite curfew in Leh town after what officials described as unprecedented arson and violence in the history of the cold desert region.

"Curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure to prevent the situation from worsening, as some elements are trying to instigate people," Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, said in a social media message.

Although local authorities initially maintained silence over casualties, the Lieutenant Governor admitted that lives were lost. "It is very unfortunate that some people have lost their lives in today's violence," Gupta said, adding that the curfew was imposed to protect lives.

Senior Medical Officer in Leh, Dr. Dolma Chuskit, confirmed that four persons had died while 61 others were injured. Of these, six were stated to be in critical condition.

Co-chairman of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and former minister Chering Dorjay Lakrook also acknowledged the deaths.

Earlier, a bandh call given by the youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) turned violent when protesters pelted stones at police. A large crowd had gathered at the NDS Memorial Ground in Leh before marching towards different areas.

The situation worsened when some youth attacked the BJP headquarters and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) office. Agitators set ablaze a security vehicle and several others, and torched furniture and documents inside the BJP office complex.

Police and paramilitary forces, deployed in strength across the town, resorted to tear gas shelling to bring the situation under control.

Attempt to Burn CRPF Personnel Alive

Following the violence, Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta disclosed that some miscreants, disguised as protesters, attempted to burn alive CRPF personnel during the unrest.

"As some organizations had given a call for a Leh bandh today, forces were deployed with only lathis in their hands to manage the situation," Gupta said.

"After joining the hunger strike venue, miscreants began pelting stones at the deployed forces without any provocation. With a dangerous plan in mind, they attacked a CRPF vehicle while personnel were inside and tried to set it on fire to burn them alive," he alleged.

The LG further revealed that some miscreants also attacked the vehicle of the Director General of Police (DGP) with heavy stones and rods.

Gupta said that those responsible for the violence would be brought to justice, calling it a conspiracy to destabilize Ladakh.

He noted that the hunger strike in Leh had been peaceful for the past 15 days, but in recent days, some people had threatened to attack political offices and the residences of leaders. He also expressed concern that certain elements were comparing Ladakh's situation with Bangladesh and Nepal, and instigating youth to follow those models.

Surprised at the timing of the protest, the LG said: "The Centre has already invited Ladakh's agitating groups for talks on October 6. The names of participants were decided by the groups themselves. I fail to understand why such a protest was organized just days before the dialogue."

Gupta added that authorities had begun identifying those responsible and cautioned Ladakhi youth against falling prey to such mischief.

BJP Blames Congress for Violence

Meanwhile, authorities in Leh have registered a case against Congress councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag after a photograph, purportedly showing him carrying a weapon during the protests, went viral on social media. Tsepag, who represents Upper Leh Ward, is also under scrutiny for a speech delivered on Tuesday, which police allege may have incited unrest.

According to sources, law enforcement agencies are reviewing video and audio evidence of his address to determine whether it amounts to provocation of public disorder or poses a threat to communal harmony.

The action follows violent clashes in Leh on September 24, when protests demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule spiraled out of control. Demonstrators set the BJP office on fire, torched a police vehicle, and clashed with security forces, who resorted to baton charges and tear gas.

The violence has triggered a sharp political confrontation between the BJP and Congress. BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya accused Tsepag of "leading the mob" and "instigating people to attack the BJP office and the Hill Council building." In a post on X, Malviya linked the incident to what he described as Rahul Gandhi's "politics of agitation."

The BJP later amplified the charge by circulating images of Tsepag online, alleging his involvement in arson and violence.

The Congress, however, continues to back Ladakh's long-standing demands for constitutional safeguards, protection of land and jobs, and preservation of local culture. Party leaders argue that inclusion under the Sixth Schedule is essential to safeguard Ladakh's fragile ecology and indigenous communities.

The BJP, in turn, has accused the opposition of "fuelling unrest" in the region for political gain.