The agitating Ladakh groups rejected the magisterial inquiry announced by the Union Territory administration into the September 24 violence, in which four persons lost their lives, and reiterated their demand for a judicial probe by a retired Supreme Court judge.
"Our stand is very clear—a judicial probe by a retired Supreme Court judge should be announced to inquire into the unprecedented violence in Leh on September 24," said Asgar Ali Karbalai, co-chairman of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), while speaking to the International Business Times.
"Only a judicial probe can restore the shattered faith of the people," he said, outrightly rejecting the magisterial inquiry ordered by the Ladakh Union Territory administration. "Apart from a judicial inquiry, all arrested persons should be released to create an atmosphere conducive to restoring the stalled dialogue," he added.
It is important to mention that the KDA has also announced it will not engage in any discussions with the Central Government until a judicial probe is announced and all arrested persons are released.
The KDA also demanded that all allegations against Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent Ladakh activist, be fully withdrawn.
Similarly, the Leh Apex Body announced its withdrawal from negotiations, stating it would not engage with the Ministry of Home Affairs' High-Powered Committee (HPC) until peace and normalcy are fully restored in the region.
UT administration announced a magisterial probe
The Union Territory administration of Ladakh has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the serious law-and-order situation that erupted in Leh on September 24 and the police action that led to the death of four individuals.
According to an official order issued by the District Magistrate, Leh, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Nubra, Mukul Beniwal (IAS), has been designated as the inquiry officer to conduct the probe.
The inquiry will ascertain the detailed facts and circumstances that led to the clashes, the subsequent police action, and the deaths of four civilians.
The deceased have been identified as Jigmet Dorjey, son of Yountan Chospel, resident of Kharnak; Rinchen Dadul, son of Tsering Morup, resident of Hanu; Stanzin Namgail, son of Nawang Zotpa, resident of Igoo; and Tsewang Tharchin, son of Stanzin Namgyal, resident of Skurbuchan.
The inquiry officer has been tasked with submitting a comprehensive report within four weeks.
To ensure transparency, the officer has invited any person having information about the incident to present oral or written statements or provide material evidence such as photographs or video recordings.
For this purpose, hearings will be conducted from October 4 to October 18, between 10 am and 5 pm, at the DC Office Conference Hall, Leh, and also at the office of the inquiry officer. Citizens willing to depose have been asked to appear during this period.
The administration has appealed to the general public to extend cooperation in the matter, stressing that a fair and transparent inquiry is in the interest of justice.
LBA Puts Four Conditions for Resuming Dialogue
Meanwhile, the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA)—a strong and influential religious body of the Union Territory—laid down four conditions for resuming dialogue with the Union Government.
Interacting with media persons after the meeting of the Apex Body of the LBA, its president, Chering Dorjay Lakrook, who is also co-chairperson of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), said they were ready to resume dialogue with the Centre, provided it accepted their four conditions.
"A joint prayer meeting was held to commemorate the 156th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, which is also celebrated as the International Day of Non-Violence, declared by the United Nations in 2007, and to pay tribute to his ideals of non-violence (Ahimsa), Truth (Satya) and peaceful resistance (Satyagraha)," Lakrook said.
He added, "A joint prayer meeting of the executive members of the Ladakh Buddhist Association and the All Ladakh Gonpa Association was held today to pay tribute to the four martyrs who were killed in the police firing on September 24, 2025, while raising the genuine demands of Ladakh for statehood, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, among others. The participants prayed for the swift rebirth of the martyrs in the higher realm (Devachan) and for the speedy recovery of the injured who are currently under treatment."
After the prayers, the members unanimously passed a resolution demanding:
- An impartial judicial inquiry by a retired judge into the excessive use of force and indiscriminate firing by the Ladakh Police and paramilitary forces on September 24, 2025, in which four Ladakhi Buddhist youths were killed and scores of others were injured, many of them seriously, and to hold the guilty accountable.
- Adequate compensation by the administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh for the dependents of those martyred and critically injured.
- Immediate release of Sonam Wangchuk, climate activist, educationist, innovator, and environmentalist, from detention.
- Immediate release of all other innocent persons who were arbitrarily arrested/detained by the Ladakh Police on flimsy grounds following the unfortunate incident of September 24, 2025, at Leh, and an end to further witch-hunting and harassment of innocent local youths in order to restore normalcy in Ladakh.
