Meanwhile, in Leh, prohibitions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, remain in force following the violence. Gatherings of five or more people are banned, and processions, rallies, or marches require prior written approval.

New Delhi

The Congress party on Friday demanded a judicial inquiry into the killing of four youths during violent protests in Ladakh. Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh said on X that his colleague Nawang Rigzin Jora had written to Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta, urging a probe into the incident on September 24, which led to the deaths and serious injuries of several protestors.

In the letter, Jora expressed deep sorrow over the incident and condemned both the violence by protesters and the harsh police response, including firing. He emphasized that the situation could have been handled with more restraint, patience, and maturity. The letter also addressed allegations blaming a Congress councillor for leading the mob based on a circulated photograph, calling such claims baseless. Another councillor was being accused of inciting protests through emotional statements during a press conference on September 23, which Jora said was understandable as two hunger-striking individuals from his constituency were critically ill and had to be hospitalized.

Jora urged the Lt Governor to conduct a judicial enquiry to ensure justice and transparency.

The protests are linked to demands for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides special administrative provisions for tribal areas under Articles 244(2) and 275(1) in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. Congress stressed the need for a fair investigation to hold the responsible parties accountable and to prevent such tragedies in the future.