7 months ago
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Ladakh Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal has said that the Home Ministry’s bid for a judicial enquiry into the September 24 Leh violence to fulfil the request of the radical of the Union Territory seeking a just and transparent probe into the incident.
Addressing a cardinal request of the protesting Ladakh groups, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) connected Friday (October 17, 2025) announced a judicial enquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge into past month's convulsive clashes successful Leh.
The clashes betwixt information forces and protesters — who were demanding Statehood and Sixth Schedule presumption for the Union territory — near 4 civilians dormant and 90 injured, escalating a months-long agitation.
“This determination reflects the government's committedness to justness and transparency," helium said.
Providing an update connected the injured, Mr. Kotwal said 5 individuals, including an ex-serviceman, are presently undergoing attraction astatine the SNM Hospital. “Doctors performed life-saving surgeries connected 11 injured connected the time of the incident. One of the injured volition necessitate a longer betterment period,” helium said.
The Chief Secretary said astir of those arrested during the unit person been granted bail, portion the remaining 30 are successful judicial custody and are expected to beryllium released successful owed people connected completion of ineligible procedures.
Appealing to radical for calm, Mr. Kotwal urged the assemblage leaders to support bid and debar ample gatherings oregon protests, particularly aft the government’s determination to clasp a judicial probe. “The protests [on September 24] began peacefully but aboriginal went beyond the power of the organisers,” helium said.
Mr. Kotwal besides warned against immoderate aboriginal disturbances and sought practice from the nationalist successful maintaining peace, peculiarly during the ongoing introspection season. “We indispensable guarantee a calm situation conducive to learning,” helium said. The authoritative besides highlighted the adverse interaction of unrest connected tourism and urged corporate efforts to revive the sector, which is captious for Ladakh’s economy.
Reaffirming the Centre’s committedness to dialogue, helium said the Government of India volition proceed its engagement with the high-powered committee (HPC) to code Ladakh’s concerns done peaceful means. “The radical of Ladakh are known for their patriotism and consciousness of responsibility. I convey everyone for their cooperation, and impulse continued enactment successful restoring normalcy crossed the region,” Mr. Kotwal said.
He added that the concern successful the Union Territory is returning to mean pursuing the unfortunate incidental connected September 24.
On the instrumentality and bid front, Mr. Kotwal said, “Several individuals were arrested, astir of whom person been released. At present, 30 persons stay successful judicial custody, and their merchandise lies wrong the jurisdiction of the court. Once the tribunal grants bail, they excessively volition beryllium released.”
Referring to the protests, helium said, “People had assured that the agitation would stay non-violent, and bid would prevail, arsenic Ladakh is known for its harmony and calm. However, the unit broke retired unexpectedly. Community leaders aboriginal acknowledged during their meetings that the concern had gone beyond their control.”
Stating that people’s request for a judicial probe into the incidental has present been met, Mr. Kotwal said, “We instantly ordered a magisterial enquiry led by an IAS officer, which is underway. However, we repeatedly received requests that the substance should beryllium investigated nether the supervision of a Supreme Court justice truthful that the afloat information comes out."
"Taking those requests into relationship and aft consultations with the acrophobic leaders, the Government of India has ordered a judicial probe to beryllium conducted by a erstwhile Supreme Court Judge, who volition beryllium assisted by an IAS serviceman and a section Judge."
According to a notification issued by the MHA, the judicial probe, to beryllium headed by Justice B.S. Chauhan, a erstwhile Judge of the Supreme Court, is mandated to analyse the “circumstances starring to the superior instrumentality and bid situation, the constabulary enactment and the resultant unfortunate deaths of 4 people”.
Retired District and Sessions Judge Mohan Singh Parihar volition relation arsenic Judicial Secretary, portion IAS serviceman Tushar Anand volition beryllium the Administrative Secretary of the enquiry commission.
Mr. Kotwal besides said that talks connected assorted issues, including safeguards for Ladakh, are underway. “We are assured that the assemblage leaders volition forestall immoderate wide assembly,” helium said.
He besides said that discussions connected compensations were successful progress, but emphasised that “a peaceful situation is indispensable for the talks to determination forward".
On the deployment of information forces, the Chief Secretary said, “We had deployed 4 companies successful August. After the [September 24] incident, we brought successful further forces and aboriginal began sending immoderate of them back. In their place, we person deployed 2 companies of Rapid Action Force [RAF] trained for law-and-order situations.”
