Ladakh Erupts As Protesters Torch Police Van Over Statehood

In a shocking escalation of Ladakh's simmering unrest, hundreds of furious protesters clashed with police in the heart of Leh city this morning, hurling stones, storming the BJP office, and setting a police van ablaze—the first outbreak of violence in the region's five-year fight for statehood. The chaotic scenes unfolded during a total shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) in solidarity with climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a grueling 14-day hunger strike alongside supporters, demanding full statehood and inclusion under the Constitution's Sixth Schedule to safeguard tribal lands, culture, and resources from unchecked development.

Eyewitnesses described a powder keg igniting as young demonstrators, backed by the LAB's youth wing, marched toward the BJP headquarters, chanting slogans like "Statehood Abhi Nahi Toh Kab?" (Statehood now or never?). What began as a peaceful rally quickly spiraled into mayhem when protesters pelted stones at the building and security forces, shattering windows and forcing officers to barricade entrances. In retaliation, a group torched a police vehicle parked nearby, sending plumes of black smoke billowing over Leh's historic streets. "This is our boiling point—years of broken promises have pushed us here," one anonymous protester told reporters amid the chaos, his face masked and fists clenched.

Police responded with a barrage of tear gas shells and lathi charges, dispersing the crowds and preventing a full breach of the BJP office or the nearby Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) building. No serious injuries were reported, but the incident left the city on edge, with heavy security deployments across Leh and Kargil districts. The violence erupted just hours after two hunger strikers—part of a core group of 15 who joined Wangchuk on September 10 for a planned 35-day fast—were hospitalized on Tuesday evening due to deteriorating health. Hospital sources confirmed their conditions are stabilizing, but Wangchuk, undeterred, vowed to continue: "Our bodies weaken, but our resolve strengthens. The Centre must honor its word before it's too late."

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This fiery confrontation marks a stark departure from Ladakh's traditionally non-violent protests, underscoring the deepening frustration in the Union Territory carved out in August 2019 after the abrogation of Article 370. Initially hailed by Leh's Buddhist-majority residents—including Wangchuk himself—as liberation from Jammu and Kashmir's dominance, the move soured rapidly. Within a year, locals decried a "political vacuum" under Lieutenant Governor rule, fearing corporate land grabs, environmental degradation, and erosion of tribal rights without elected governance. "We traded one cage for another," Wangchuk lamented in a recent statement, accusing the administration of stalling his eco-institute's land allotment as retaliation for his activism.

The unrest has united unlikely allies: the LAB from Buddhist Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) from Muslim-majority Kargil, forming a powerful pan-Ladakhi front. Their core demands—statehood for legislative autonomy and Sixth Schedule protections akin to Northeast tribal areas—have fueled waves of demonstrations since 2020. In response, the Centre formed a high-powered committee in January 2023, led by Nityanand Rai, but talks have repeatedly stalled. A March meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi collapsed when he allegedly dismissed statehood as a "mistake" and rebuffed Sixth Schedule inclusion, according to attendees. "He admitted carving us out was an error but offered no fixes," one LAB leader recounted to NDTV.

The October 6 talks, announced by the Home Ministry on September 20, were meant to revive dialogue, but protesters view them as a delay tactic. "Five years of dithering, and now a meeting after our health fails? It's insulting," Wangchuk said, rejecting overtures to end the strike. The KDA has escalated with a full shutdown in Kargil on Thursday, amplifying the pressure. Analysts warn that without concessions—perhaps fast-tracking Sixth Schedule legislation before Hill Council polls—the fragile peace could shatter further, risking Ladakh's image as a serene Himalayan haven.

As dusk fell on Leh, cleanup crews cleared debris while elders led all-faith prayers for calm. Yet, with Wangchuk's fast entering its third week and public patience fraying, the flames of today's clash may be just the spark for a broader inferno. Ladakh's future hangs in the balance: will Delhi listen, or will the mountains echo with more cries for justice?

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