India, Sept. 24 -- Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk on Thursday announced quitting 15-day hunger strike in Leh soon after violent protests broke out over statehood demand for Ladakh.

Soon after the protest broke out, Wangchuk called for peace even as he urged people to stop the violence, saying that it damages the cause.

A massive protest broke out in Leh as protestors and pelted stones and clashed with the police, who in turn fired teargas shells and resorted to baton charge to control the crowd.

Flames and dark smoke clouds were seen rising amid a complete shutdown in the Ladakh capital. The authorities have imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS to ban the assembly of five or more people, officials said.

The protest...