Leh police allegedly used excessive lethal force without magistrate orders during protests for statehood and Sixth Schedule status, resulting in four deaths and over 80 injuries. Congress and Anjuman-Moin-ul-Islam have submitted claims to a judicial probe commission, highlighting violations of constitutional rights and police protocols. People protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule (File photo: PTI) SRINAGAR: Leh police opened fire on protesters demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status on Sept 24 in a “reckless and disproportionate use of lethal force” without orders from a magistrate in the Union territory, Congress and Anjuman-Moin-ul-Islam have claimed before a judicial probe commission.Anjuman is a Leh-based Muslim organisation. The claims came ahead of a Friday deadline for submissions before the panel probing the violence in which four protesters were killed and over 80 injured.Leh Apex Body (LAB), the region’s largest political and religious group that spearheaded the protests, has given the panel detailed accounts but sought more time to present evidence. Late Friday evening, the panel, headed by retired Supreme Court judge BS Chauhan, extended the deadline to Dec 8. LAB member and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is among the over 70 people arrested over the violence. He has been booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).In its representation, Congress has called the police firing on the “peaceful protesters without any order from the on-duty magistrate a direct assault on the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21”.“Compounding this grave misery, many innocent persons, including prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, continue in detention without substantial evidence against them in clear violation of Article 22’s protections against arbitrary arrest and detention,” states the Congress submission made by former minister Nawang Rigzin Jora.This is not an isolated error but “a symptom of grave mis-governance and a total failure of law enforcement, particularly in a peaceful region like Ladakh where demands for Sixth Schedule and statehood stem from genuine concerns over cultural preservation, environmental protection and equitable development”, Congress said.Seeking immediate release of the detainees, Congress said “the wounds inflicted on Sept 24 run deep in the collective psyche of Ladakh’s social fabric and the nation’s commitment to constitutional values”. “We place our hope in the commission to deliver not just findings but transformative justice and action against the barbaric act,” the party’s representation reads.In its representation, Anjuman has claimed that police “unexpectedly and without sufficient provocation, fired tear gas shells into the crowd, creating panic and chaos”. “This sudden and unprovoked action provoked retaliation in the form of stone-pelting by some agitated youths,” the Anjuman said.It added that the police resorted to direct firing using live ammunition, “targeting the crowd, (with) many victims being hit in the head and chest in clear violation of police protocols and SoPs”.The Union home ministry (MHA) had announced the commission after demands from LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), another key Ladakh organisation. Both had made the panel’s formation a precondition for resuming dialogues with the Centre on autonomy.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosCyclone Ditwah Approaches India: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh Brace For Impact’Op Sindoor Was Just A Glimpse Of Future Theatre Commands’: Air Marshal Ashutosh DixitPM Modi Unveils World’s Tallest Bronze Statue Of Lord Ram In South GoaIndia Says US Trade Deal Is ‘Only Matter Of Time’ As Tariffs Reshape Bilateral Trade NegotiationsPM Modi Joins Over 1 Lakh Devotees In Mass Bhagwat Gita Recitation At Udupi EventIndia’s Updated Quake Map Warns Entire Himalayan Arc Faces Major Risk, Forcing Urgent Safety Reforms’They Are Ours, We’ll Prove It’: Pakistani Leader’s Absurd Claim On ‘Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan’Cyclone Ditwah Intensifies, Monsoon Fury Slams Sri Lanka With At Least 56 Dead And Dozens MissingViral Video: Stage Crashes During UP Wedding As BJP Leaders Gather To Greet Bride & GroomIndia-Russia Summit Dates Out As PM Modi, Putin Review S-400, Su-57 And Global Security Challenges123PhotostoriesAnkita Lokhande reveals she is returning to Laughter Chefs season 3; Krushna Abhishek says ‘We will celebrate Christmas with our Bhauji’4 simple exercises that can help relieve foot pain from diabetic neuropathyGirija Oak Godbole: Surprising facts about the ‘blue saree girl’ you didn’t knowFrom Pythons to Koalas: 5 sleepyhead animals that nap their way through most of the day2 effective drinks to control blood sugar naturally and how to make them at homeRanbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt to Randeep Hooda: Actors who disappeared with their rolesFrom Saraayah to Sipaara: A look at 2025 Bollywood baby names and their meanings5 countries with zero airports, yet travellers make it in for the experienceSobhita Dhulipala to Shanaya Kapoor: 5 breathtaking celeb looks of the dayHow to make iron and protein-rich Egg and Spinach Omelette for breakfast123Hot PicksDelhi AQI TodayNew Labour CodeWorld NewsGold rate todaySilver rate todayPublic Holidays NovemberBank Holidays NovemberTop TrendingJayden Daniels InjuryCyclone Ditwah ImpactBengaluru techieFortnite Chapter 7 LeakedAyesha CurryFuzzy ZoellerDelhi Car Blast10 Greatest Thanksgiving Moments in NFL historyGabrielle UnionVanessa Bryant
SRINAGAR: Leh police opened fire on protesters demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status on Sept 24 in a “reckless and disproportionate use of lethal force” without orders from a magistrate in the Union territory, Congress and Anjuman-Moin-ul-Islam have claimed before a judicial probe commission.Anjuman is a Leh-based Muslim organisation. The claims came ahead of a Friday deadline for submissions before the panel probing the violence in which four protesters were killed and over 80 injured.Leh Apex Body (LAB), the region’s largest political and religious group that spearheaded the protests, has given the panel detailed accounts but sought more time to present evidence. Late Friday evening, the panel, headed by retired Supreme Court judge BS Chauhan, extended the deadline to Dec 8. LAB member and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is among the over 70 people arrested over the violence. He has been booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).In its representation, Congress has called the police firing on the “peaceful protesters without any order from the on-duty magistrate a direct assault on the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21”.“Compounding this grave misery, many innocent persons, including prominent activist Sonam Wangchuk, continue in detention without substantial evidence against them in clear violation of Article 22’s protections against arbitrary arrest and detention,” states the Congress submission made by former minister Nawang Rigzin Jora.This is not an isolated error but “a symptom of grave mis-governance and a total failure of law enforcement, particularly in a peaceful region like Ladakh where demands for Sixth Schedule and statehood stem from genuine concerns over cultural preservation, environmental protection and equitable development”, Congress said.Seeking immediate release of the detainees, Congress said “the wounds inflicted on Sept 24 run deep in the collective psyche of Ladakh’s social fabric and the nation’s commitment to constitutional values”. “We place our hope in the commission to deliver not just findings but transformative justice and action against the barbaric act,” the party’s representation reads.In its representation, Anjuman has claimed that police “unexpectedly and without sufficient provocation, fired tear gas shells into the crowd, creating panic and chaos”. “This sudden and unprovoked action provoked retaliation in the form of stone-pelting by some agitated youths,” the Anjuman said.It added that the police resorted to direct firing using live ammunition, “targeting the crowd, (with) many victims being hit in the head and chest in clear violation of police protocols and SoPs”.The Union home ministry (MHA) had announced the commission after demands from LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), another key Ladakh organisation. Both had made the panel’s formation a precondition for resuming dialogues with the Centre on autonomy.
