India: Protests turn violent in Leh amid renewed demands for Statehood

India: A violent clash erupted on Wednesday in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, as protesters demanding statehood for the federal territory confronted police, leaving four people dead and dozens injured.

During the protest, the office of India’s ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was set on fire. And the government blamed Sonam Wangchuck, an activist, that he is the one who is leading the protest and also that he is the one who is stirring up the violence. But the activist denied all the claims and allegations.

Following the incident the Indian security forces have imposed a curfew in Leh and Ladakh, citing that it will help in reducing the violence.

Protests turn violent in Ladakh demanding Sixth Schedule. Two protestors on hunger strike since last 15 days were taken to the hospital. BJP Office in Leh also vandalised. pic.twitter.com/P6c147o7wQ

— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) September 24, 2025

The reason behind the violence is not clear but for months the protests have been taking place in the region, which led more people to join in and made a greater support for a statehood.

According to the reports the protests were rooted in Ladakh's loss of semi-autonomy in 2019, when the government of BJP split it from the former Indian-administered state, state  of Jammu and Kashmir, and imposed a direct rule on both.

Since then, both Buddhist and Muslim communities have joined forces to demand the restoration of statehood and greater autonomy, which would provide job and land quotas.

Further the news reports confirmed that the police officials fired some shots and tear gas through which dozens of protesters were, including 4 people who were critically injured and later died.

India imposes curfew in Ladakh after statehood protests turn violent

Indian authorities imposed a curfew in Leh, the capital of the Himalayan region of Ladakh after four people died in clashes between police and protesters demanding Ladakh’s statehood and job and land… pic.twitter.com/LdOCCzFz31

— The Asian Chronicle (@AsianChronicle) September 25, 2025

The Indian federal home ministry delivered a late night statement in which they blamed Sonam Wangchuck, an activist, who had been on a hunger strike, for the protest. They also alleged that he is the one who proved the public through inflammatory remarks.

They stated “he continued the hunger strike and was misleading the people by his inflammatory remarks on the government, with that he also used the reference of Nepal's recent Gen-Z protest against their government."

In a further statement they stated that in a protest, the protesters attacked the BJP’s local office and set that on fire and also burned a police vehicle, leaving at least thirty police officers injured. Adding more in it they stated “during the self defence, the police officials shot some fire which left 4 people killed and we are sorry for that.

The activist, Sonam has decided to call off his hunger strike which he began on September 12, and also appealed for peace and calm, while saying that the “violence will only cause harm to our cause.”

Further he also said that I'm denying all the allegations of having a role in violence and provoking young people which led them to do a protest and what had driven onto the streets.

The government stated that they are actively engaged with the protestors and with Sonam are also considering their demands. The demand of the protesters includes inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which would grant autonomy over land and governance.

Also on Wednesday, the Lieutenant Governor, Kavinder Gupta of Ladakh, stated that the investigation into the matter has been initiated by them.

The government also stated that a fresh round of talks is scheduled between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ladakh representatives on Thursday and Friday. And also a committee which was set up by the federal government decided to meet the leader of the region on October 6, 2025.