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Violent Protests in India's Ladakh Leave Four Dead as Statehood Demands Turn Deadly



Four people were killed and more than 80 others injured in violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Indian Union territory of Ladakh's capital Leh on Wednesday, marking the deadliest day of unrest in the Himalayan region in decades.

The fatalities occurred when protesters demanding statehood for the union territory and constitutional protections clashed with police and paramilitary forces. The deceased, aged 19, 20, 23, and 46, were killed during confrontations that erupted after demonstrators threw stones at officers and set government buildings ablaze. Several protesters reportedly lost limbs in the violence, with over 40 police personnel also sustaining injuries.

The immediate trigger for the deadly protests came on Tuesday evening when two elderly hunger strikers, Tsering Angchuk, 72, and Tashi Dolma, 60, collapsed and were hospitalized in critical condition. They had been part of a 35 day hunger strike led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution since September 10.

Their hospitalization galvanized young protesters across Leh, prompting a complete shutdown of the regional capital on Wednesday morning. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the Martyrs' Ground before marching through the town, but the situation spiraled out of control by midday. Groups of youth torched the local office of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, set fire to police vehicles, vandalized the Hill Council headquarters, and attempted to burn government buildings.

Security forces responded with tear gas, lathi charges, and ultimately live ammunition to disperse the crowds. Police officials stated they were compelled to open fire in "self-defense" after protesters attacked government offices and law enforcement personnel. The Ministry of Home Affairs has confirmed that police resorted to firing, which led to the casualties.

Following the violence, authorities imposed a curfew across the Leh district, deployed hundreds of police officers and paramilitary soldiers on the streets, and banned gatherings of more than five people. Internet services were slowed down, and vehicular movement was suspended by the local taxi union. In a major crackdown the following day, police arrested around 50 people during pre-dawn raids, including Congress councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, who was charged for allegedly making provocative speeches.

Hospital reports confirmed that 18 of the injured remained hospitalized, with seven patients in intensive care units, though all were reported to be in stable condition. One critically injured woman was scheduled to be airlifted to All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi for advanced treatment.

The violence prompted Sonam Wangchuk to call off his hunger strike, describing the events as a "Gen-Z uprising" driven by youth frustration over unmet demands. The activist, who inspired the Bollywood film "3 Idiots," urged protesters to avoid the path of violence while expressing disappointment at the government's response to five years of peaceful demonstrations.

The Ministry of Home Affairs blamed Wangchuk for inciting the violence through "provocative statements," claiming he had made references to Arab Spring style protests and Nepal's recent political upheaval. Government sources described the situation as "deliberately engineered" by politically motivated individuals, accusing Wangchuk of misleading people through comparisons to international youth movements.

Ladakh, home to approximately 300,000 people, lost its semi-autonomous status in 2019 when it was carved out from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and placed under direct federal administration. The Buddhist-Muslim region, which shares borders with China and Pakistan, has since witnessed sustained protests demanding statehood, job reservations for locals, protection of land rights, and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule to safeguard tribal communities.

The Wednesday violence marked the first fatal clashes in Ladakh since it became a union territory and represented the worst unrest since 1989, when three people were killed during similar protests for union territory status. Amnesty International has called for an immediate investigation into the use of lethal force against protesters.


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