Leh, Ladakh: The ongoing demand for Ladakh’s statehood and constitutional safeguards turned violent today as angry protesters clashed with police in Leh city.

In the first major incident of violence in the statehood movement, hundreds of demonstrators pelted stones at officials, attacked the BJP office, and set a police vehicle on fire.

Police responded with tear gas shelling and lathi charges to disperse the crowds. This escalation comes ahead of a crucial meeting between Ladakh representatives and the central government scheduled for October 6 in New Delhi.

The unrest has been intensifying for weeks, with climate activist Sonam Wangchuk observing a hunger strike for over 15 days to press for Ladakh’s inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and to secure full statehood.

Protesters have also called for a complete shutdown in Leh and Kargil to demand constitutional protections for their land, culture, and resources.

Ladakh has been a Union Territory since August 2019, following the abrogation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir.

While the move was initially welcomed by many residents, including Wangchuk, dissatisfaction soon grew as locals complained of a “political vacuum” under the Lieutenant Governor’s administration.

Over the past three years, a rare coalition of political and religious groups from Buddhist-majority Leh and Muslim-majority Kargil — under the Apex Body of Leh and the Kargil Democratic Alliance — has spearheaded protests, sit-ins, and hunger strikes.

Despite multiple rounds of talks, including a March 2025 meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, no agreement has been reached. Local leaders claim Shah rejected their core demands, including statehood and Sixth Schedule status, during the last meeting.

The Centre’s upcoming talks with Ladakhi representatives will be a critical test to see if a peaceful resolution can be reached, even as today’s violence highlights the growing frustration among residents.