Curfew Continues for Fifth Day in Leh as Authorities Review Security and Weigh Relaxation Measures
LEH, Sept 28: Curfew remained in place for the fifth consecutive day in Leh on Sunday as authorities maintained tight security across the town following the violent protests that erupted last week over demands for statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Officials said Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta is scheduled to chair a crucial security review meeting later in the day at Raj Bhavan, where a decision on easing restrictions is likely to be taken based on the ground assessment.
The curfew was imposed on Wednesday evening after large-scale protests and clashes broke out during a bandh called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), leaving four people dead, scores injured, and public property damaged. Over 50 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in rioting, while prominent climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) and shifted to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan. Authorities said the situation remained “largely peaceful” on Sunday with no fresh incidents of violence reported from any part of the town.
On Saturday, the curfew was eased for the first time since its imposition, with a four-hour phased relaxation that passed off peacefully. Essential shops opened briefly, and people were seen queuing outside ATMs under strict police and paramilitary vigil. However, on Sunday, restrictions were reimposed in full, with mobile internet services continuing to remain suspended. Prohibitory orders under Section 144, banning the assembly of five or more persons, also stayed in force across other sensitive areas of Ladakh, including Kargil.
Security remained tight throughout the day, with personnel from the police, CRPF, and ITBP deployed in strength. Heavily armed units staged flag marches in curfew-bound localities to deter potential flare-ups and reassure residents. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation ahead of the last rites of two of the four deceased protesters, scheduled later in the day — events expected to draw large crowds and require heightened security vigilance.
In a significant development on Saturday, two Congress councillors, Smanla Dorje Nurbo and Phutsog Stanzin Tsepak along with Ladakh Buddhist Association vice president Savin Rigzin and village numberdar Rigzin Dorjey, surrendered before a local court in connection with the violence. They were among several people named in the police FIRs. According to Ladakh Bar Association President Mohd Shafi Lassu, while police sought custody for the four individuals, the remaining detainees — including youth leaders of LAB, members of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, and students were remanded to judicial custody.
The Ladakh Bar Association has taken up all cases pro bono, asserting the innocence of those arrested and demanding their release. Lassu argued that the councillors were wrongly implicated — claiming Tsepak was misidentified as a masked protest leader and Nurbo was attending to two elderly constituents who fell ill during the hunger strike on September 23. The court, responding to the defense’s petition, ordered that questioning be conducted in the presence of counsels and mandated health checkups of the detainees every eight hours.
The administration has signalled that any relaxation of curfew will depend on a thorough review of the security situation and assurances that peace will be maintained.
The unrest began after LAB renewed its push for statehood and constitutional safeguards, accusing the Centre of failing to address Ladakh’s political and developmental aspirations since its bifurcation from Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. The protests turned violent on September 24, leading to the deaths, widespread injuries, and extensive damage. Wangchuk’s detention, justified by authorities as necessary to prevent further disorder, has triggered strong reactions from opposition parties and civil society groups, who allege that his arrest is an attempt to stifle democratic dissent.
