Ladakh: There are more and more calls for a judicial inquiry into the police shooting that killed four people and hurt more than 30 others during protests for statehood for Ladakh. Even though protester Sonam Wangchuk was still on a hunger strike, the violence happened. He is now in jail under the National Security Act (NSA).
The incident started on Wednesday as demonstrators fought with security officials during a stoppage announced by the Leh Apex Body (LAB). Protesters in Leh set fire to the police cars, the Hill Council office, and the BJP headquarters. The police fired and used tear gas, which led to an indefinite curfew. There have been at least 50 arrests so far.
The government said Wangchuk was to blame for the violence, while local leaders and groups including the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) said the police action was too harsh and called for an unbiased judicial investigation. They further said that some persons who were only watching, including people from Doda, Jammu & Kashmir, were hurt in the shooting.
“It’s a clear case of using too much force,” said Haji Hanifa Jan, an MP from Ladakh. I want an unbiased and legal investigation of the deaths of demonstrators and the injury of many others.
Chering Dorjey Lakrook, co-chairman of LAB, said, “The young people who were protesting were educated but out of work.” People are trying to make it look like it is against the country. They took down Ambedkar’s picture, not the national flag, and set fire to the BJP office.
Sajjad Kargili of KDA said, “We want an unbiased investigation into the shooting of protesters in Leh and punishment for those who did it.” Because the matter is so sensitive, authorities should likewise drop the cases that have been filed.