Leh, September 25, 2025 : A tense calm prevailed in Ladakh on Thursday as authorities clamped indefinite curfew in Leh after violent clashes during the Leh Apex Body (LAB)-sponsored shutdown left four dead and 89 injured. At least 50 people were detained overnight for their alleged involvement in the violence, officials confirmed.
The unrest erupted on Wednesday when protests over demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule extension spiraled into widespread violence. Demonstrators torched the BJP office, several vehicles, and vandalized the Hill Council headquarters, forcing police to use firing and baton charge to restore order.
Prohibitory Orders Across Ladakh
Prohibitory restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) were imposed across Leh and other towns including Kargil, Zanskar, Nubra, Drass, Changthang, Padam, and Lamayuru. Assembly of five or more persons, rallies, or public processions have been strictly banned.
Authorities also prohibited the use of loudspeakers and public address systems without permission, and barred provocative statements or actions that could disturb public peace.
Hunger Strike & Trigger for Violence
The violence was triggered after two hunger strikers — part of a 35-day-long fast led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk — were shifted to hospital on Tuesday evening due to deteriorating health. This prompted the LAB youth wing to intensify agitation, which turned violent the next day.
Wangchuk, who later called off his hunger strike, urged protesters to shun violence:
“This is the saddest day for Ladakh and for me personally. For five years we followed
