Leh: Authorities on Wednesday lifted the restrictions in Leh district of Ladakh, 22 days after they were imposed following violence during the statehood protests that left four people dead and over 80 others injured.
The district administration had on September 24 promulgated prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in Leh, banning the assembly of five or more persons.
No incident of violence had been reported since then, officials said.
“I do hereby withdraw the restrictions imposed vide this office order dated September 24 with immediate effect,” District Magistrate Leh, Romil Singh Donk, said in an order on Wednesday.
He said certain restrictions were imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to prevent any breach of peace and disturbance to public tranquillity.
The Senior Superintendent of Police, in a report submitted on Wednesday, said that there is no imminent apprehension of breach of peace and public order and recommended withdrawal of the restrictions under Section 163 BNSS, the DM said.
Police arrested climate activist Sonam Wangchuk on September 26, two days after clashes between security forces and protesters demanding Ladakh’s statehood and Sixth Schedule status left four people dead and 90 injured. He was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) for allegedly inciting the violence and shifted to Jodhpur jail.
Wangchuk, a leading voice of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been spearheading a five-year-long agitation demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for the residents of Leh and Kargil.
Six detained leaders released on bail in Leh
Leh, Oct 15 : Six leaders including a Congress councillor were released on bail after three weeks of detention following last month’s violence here, officials said on Wednesday.
According to officials, the leaders who were granted bail by a local court are Congress Councillor from Upper Leh Stanzin Phuntsog Tsepak, Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) women wing president Kunzes Dolma, Irfan Bari of Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam, and Padma Stanzin, Jigmet Paljor and Stanzin Chospel from the Leh Apex Body.
They were among several youth leaders who had surrendered in a local court following a police crackdown on the protesters allegedly involved in the widespread violence.
More than 70 people were taken into custody by police and half of them have already been released on bail over the past week.
The Leh Apex Body along with Kargil Democratic Alliance are pressing for release of all the detained persons including Sonam Wangchuk, judicial inquiry and adequate compensation for the family of the four slain persons and critically injured persons to resume the stalled dialogue with the Centre.
On Tuesday, LAB and KDA said they will soon hold a two-hour silent peaceful march from 10 am followed by three-hour blackout from 6 pm same day in the entire Ladakh in support of the demand for statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory.
“The date for the protest will be made public shortly but the protest will be held within days,” co-chairman of KDA Asgar Ali Karbalai had told reporters here.
The groups reiterated their conditions including judicial inquiry into last month’s violence for restarting talks with the Centre.
