Shadow Correspondent
Leh, Oct 2:
The Ladakh administration has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the deaths of four civilians during a protest in Leh on September 24, where demonstrators were demanding statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The administration has appointed an IAS officer to lead the probe to determine what led to the law-and-order breakdown, the subsequent police action, and the fatalities. As per the order issued by the District Commissioner Leh, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Nubra, Mukul Beniwal, has been named the inquiry officer and directed to submit a detailed report within four weeks.
In a public notice, the inquiry officer invited anyone with information about the incident to record their statements between October 4 and 18 at the DC Office Conference Hall, which will serve as the venue for the proceedings.
“Any person having information about the incident or willing to provide oral evidence, written statements, or material evidence, such as photographs or video recordings, may appear before the undersigned and submit their statements or evidence,” the notice states.
The union territory witnessed an upheaval on September 24 after the 14-day-long hunger strike led by
Ladakh Admin Orders
the climate activist Sonam Wangchuk spiralled into violent clashes with police. Ladakh Police had arrested Wangchuk two days after protests demanding Ladakh’s statehood and Sixth Schedule status left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory.
Jigmet Dorjey of Kharnak, Rinchen Dadul of Hanu, Stanzin Namgail of Igoo, and Tsewang Tharchin of Skurbuchan died that day in the firing by security forces. Slapped with the National Security Act, Wangchuk has been lodged in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur jail.
The administration has relaxed curfew restrictions, but the Internet services continue to remain shut. Meanwhile, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) advocating for Ladakh’s safeguards have pulled out of the crucial talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs scheduled for October 6.
