Srinagar, Sept. 25 -- At least four people were killed and nearly 100 injured as protests held by demonstrators demanding statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule turned violent in Leh on Wednesday, prompting authorities to clamp curfew in many areas. As the sun set on what is arguably the worst day of violence in recent memory in the cold desert region, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk called off his fortnight-long hunger strike to press for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh. With several of those injured in a critical condition, there are fears the death toll could go up. The morning began with a complete shutdown in the Ladakh capital. Hundreds of people took to the streets. The youth had called for the protests and strike after two activists among the 35 people led by climate activist Wangchuk, who were on a hunger strike at Martyrs Park, had to be hospitalised on Tuesday. Eyewitnesses said that the youth hurled stones, vandalised buildings and set BJP office and a police vehicle afire. As the day progressed, flames and dark smoke clouds could be seen from afar. Police resorted to firing and teargas shelling to bring the situation under control after the protesters indulged in widespread violence, officials said. Leh additional superintendent of police Rigzin Sangdup said that four protesters have been killed during the protests. "Four protesters have died while 30 have been injured. There have been injuries to 60-70 police personnel as well," he said. The administration imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the BNSS to ban the assembly of five or more people, they said. Besides, Congress leader and councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag was booked for allegedly making a provocative speech at the hunger strike venue on Tuesday. The Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) youth wing called for the protest after two of the 15 people, who were on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10, were shifted to a hospital because their condition deteriorated on Tuesday evening. The fast was to push the Centre to resume dialogue in support of their four-point demand - statehood, extension of Sixth Schedule, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil and reservation for employment. Addressing an online press conference, Wangchuk said: ""I request the youth of Ladakh to stop the violence forthwith as it only causes harm to our cause and further deteriorates the situation. We do not want instability in Ladakh and the country." Terming the events as heart-wrenching, Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta said everyone has the right to speak up in a peaceful manner in a democratic system, but what happened today was not spontaneous and was the result of a conspiracy. "We will not spare those people who have spoiled the atmosphere here," he said. Curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure to prevent more casualties, Gupta said while addressing the people of Ladakh.Asserting that he stood with the people of the UT, especially the youth, the LG urged the people to help restore peace in Ladakh, which last saw major violence on August 27, 1989, during an agitation demanding Union Territory status that left three persons dead in police firing. After the abrogation of Article 370 and split of J&K into two Union territories in 2019, Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) - an amalgam of various political and religious parties of Leh and Kargil, have been holding protests in and outside the UT to demand statehood for the Union territory, separate Lok Sabha seats for its two regions and its inclusion under the Constitution's sixth schedule to safeguard land, employment, and cultural identity of the local population. LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay said that after the health of two persons deteriorated during the hunger strike on Tuesday, the youth were very angry today. RELATED REPORTS ON P2...