Ladakh burns as protesters torch BJP office in Leh. Police use teargas, clashes erupt. Movement for autonomy gains sharper edge.
BY PC Bureau
September 24 — Ladakh’s long-simmering demand for statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards exploded into deadly violence on Wednesday, as thousands of protesters, many of them from Gen Z, clashed with security forces in the streets of Leh. At least four people were killed and over 30 injured, marking the bloodiest day yet in the region’s five-year-old agitation.
How the Protest Unfolded
The day began with a massive rally at Polo Ground in Leh, where students, monks, activists, and members of civil society waved banners reading “Statehood Now,” “Save Tribal Identity,” and “Sixth Schedule for Ladakh.” Slogans of “Jai Ladakh,” “We Want Justice,” and “No Voice, No Peace” reverberated through the air as young demonstrators, many of them still in college, led the march towards the BJP district office.
Tension spiked when a section of the crowd reportedly hurled stones at the building, accusing the ruling party of “betraying” Ladakh after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Soon after, the BJP office was set on fire, triggering police action. Security forces responded with tear gas, water cannons, and baton charges, but the crowd regrouped in nearby lanes, leading to running battles through Leh Bazaar and Choglamsar Road.
Eyewitnesses said the clashes continued for hours, with young protesters using makeshift barricades, throwing stones, and chanting slogans, while police fired dozens of tear gas shells to push them back. Shops pulled down shutters, schools were closed midway, and ambulances ferried the injured as chaos engulfed Leh town.
Shutdown and Blackout
By evening, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) announced a region-wide shutdown, paralyzing life across Leh and Kargil. Streets fell silent under a heavy blanket of paramilitary deployment, with curfew-like restrictions imposed. Internet and mobile data services were suspended in several parts of Leh to contain the unrest, leaving many residents cut off from news and communication.
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Amid the escalating violence, climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk ended his 15-day hunger strike, appealing to young protesters to return to peaceful methods.
“Our fight is for dignity and rights, not destruction,” Wangchuk said in a video message. “Please don’t undo five years of sacrifice. Ladakh’s soul is non-violence — we must not lose it.”
GenZ Protest Against BJP Gov in Ladakh.
GenZ ने फुंक दिया भाजप ॲाफिस .
ॲड .बाळासाहेब आंबेडकर जी ने चेताया था अगर दो महिने मे नेता सुधरेगें नही तो नेपाल जैसा माहौल देश मे भी हो सकता है .#GenZ #LadakhProtest #GenZAgainstBJP #GenZ #LadakhProtest #GenZAgainstBJP pic.twitter.com/YlCd8oRUrk
— प्रिन्स शामकुळे (@PrinceShamkule) September 24, 2025
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Why Ladakh is Boiling
Since 2019, when Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory without a legislature, discontent has grown over job losses, loss of autonomy, and fears of exploitation of tribal land. Protesters demand:
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Full statehood for Ladakh
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Sixth Schedule protections to safeguard Ladakh’s tribal-majority identity
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Early recruitment drives and a dedicated public service commission
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Two Lok Sabha seats, one each for Leh and Kargil
Activists argue Sixth Schedule status is crucial to protect Ladakh from corporate mining and unchecked industrial projects that threaten its fragile ecology.
BJP’s Blame Game
The BJP hit back strongly, with spokesperson Sambit Patra alleging the protests were engineered by Congress leaders.
“Attempts are being made to falsely project this as a Gen Z movement. In reality, Congress councillor Stanzing Tsepang led the mob with a weapon in hand, targeting our office. This is a conspiracy linked to Rahul Gandhi and George Soros to destabilize India,” Patra claimed.
Opposition Seeks Dialogue
In sharp contrast, Opposition leaders urged restraint and dialogue. NCP-SCP MP Supriya Sule said:
“The images from Leh are heartbreaking. Violence is not the answer. I appeal to the government to speak to all sides, restore peace, and give people confidence. If anyone instigated, let there be an inquiry, but priority must be harmony.”
With Leh under lockdown and thousands of young people vowing to continue the fight, Ladakh now stands at a crossroads. Whether New Delhi opens talks or doubles down on security will decide if this movement escalates further or finds a resolution. For now, anger, grief, and uncertainty dominate the cold desert, as a generation that calls itself “the voice of Ladakh” refuses to be silenced.
