Ladakh to withdraw cases against 25 booked last year over September 24 violence

On Thursday, the Ladakh administration declared it would file closure reports against 25 individuals who were previously booked following the violence that erupted in Leh on September 24 last year. The move occurred the day after representatives from the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body (LAB) conferred with Ministry of Home Affairs officials in Leh.

Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra disclosed that approximately 87 individuals were arrested last year, with nine having been charged, suggesting involvement in the incident. In the aftermath of a meeting with the Lieutenant-Governor on Wednesday, it was determined that cases against 25 people would be dropped. Closure reports for these individuals will be submitted to the court at a later date.

The KDA and LAB had presented a list of non-negotiable demands to the Center, which included granting financial powers to the proposed elected Ladakh Legislative Assembly, establishing a distinct Public Service Commission for employment in the Ladakh Union Territory, and the unconditional dismissal of all cases related to the September 24 violence.

The high-profile meeting also included Ladakh MP Mohammad Hanifa Jan, KDA co-chairman Sajjad Kargili, climate advocate Sonam Wangchuk, LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay, Chief Secretary Kundra, and MHA officials. Four individuals lost their lives and over 50 others were injured during the violent protest demanding statehood and the extension of Sixth Schedule protections to Ladakh.

The incident prompted climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike for close to 35 days advocating Ladakh's demands, to discontinue his fast. Wangchuk was subsequently charged under the National Security Act and incarcerated in the Jodhpur jail for six months. Kundra described the event as "a blot on the pages of India's history" and promised to review the cases of the remaining individuals still under investigation, seeking to determine if any others were not directly involved in the incident.

The Ladakh administration is also working on a framework for a UT-level legislative body based on certain provisions of Article 371, with discussions expected to continue at a dedicated sub-committee meeting in the first week of September. Ladakh's Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Thursday, highlighting the progress of development initiatives, infrastructure projects, and the implementation of central welfare programs in Ladakh.