Leh, Sept 26: A high-level team from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Thursday reviewed the security situation in Leh, where curfew remained in force for the third consecutive day on Friday following violent clashes that left four people dead and 90 others injured earlier this week.
Officials said no fresh incidents were reported, and restrictions may be eased later in the day to allow people to purchase essential supplies. Over 50 people have been detained since the violence erupted during a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) demanding statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh.
Police and paramilitary personnel continued to patrol the deserted streets of Leh and other towns, including Kargil, where prohibitory orders remained in force. Residents complained of shortages of ration, milk, and vegetables.
Leh District Magistrate Romil Singh Donk ordered the closure of all educational institutions, including anganwadi centres, for two days.
The MHA team held meetings with the Lt Governor, senior civil and police officials, and LAB representatives. It was decided that a preparatory meeting between the MHA, LAB, and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) will take place in New Delhi on September 27 or 28, ahead of an official round of talks on October 6 with a high-powered committee.
LAB and KDA, jointly spearheading the four-year agitation, are pressing for statehood, Sixth Schedule status, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil, and a Public Service Commission. While progress has been made on job guarantees and an additional Lok Sabha seat through delimitation, the demand for statehood and Sixth Schedule remains unresolved.
Meanwhile, normalcy returned to Kargil with shops reopening on Friday after a shutdown, though heavy deployment of security forces continued in sensitive areas. (Agencies)
