Amid curfew, Leh bids adieu to 2 killed in clashes
Srinagar, Sept. 29 -- The funerals of two out of four people killed during a protest in Ladakh last week were held in Leh on Sunday even as strict curfew remained in force with no relaxations.
"The situation has been stable while the restrictions were strictly enforced. There were no relaxations in the curbs today as two funerals were held in the city," said a police officer of Leh. "Two more funerals are scheduled for tomorrow," he said.
This was the fifth day that Leh town remained under curfew after violent protests over demands of statehood and protection under the sixth schedule erupted on Wednesday.
Four people were killed and around 100 injured in Ladakh during sweeping protests demanding full statehood for the Union territory and protections for jobs and land on Wednesday. Eyewitnesses said young protesters in their hundreds pelted stones, vandalised buildings and set the BJP office and a police vehicle ablaze. Police said it had to resort to lathi charge and tear gas shells to disperse the protesters, but Wangchuk said police used lethal weapons.
Police on Friday detained activist Sonam Wangchuk under the draconian National Security Act (NSA) and flew him from Leh to Jodhpur. The Union government has blamed Wangchuk, a climate activist who won the Magsaysay Award in 2018 and who was among the leading figures of the Ladakh statehood movement, for provoking the clashes on Wednesday. The Union home ministry has also cancelled the foreign funding licence of a non-governmental organisation run by Wangchuk.
While four hours of relaxation was given on Saturday in a staggered manner so that the people buy groceries, no such relaxation was provided on Sunday.
LAB co-chairperson, Chering Dorjay, said that the curfew was strictly implemented owing to the funerals. "There was a funeral of the two villagers today so the authorities imposed strict restrictions. The day was peaceful," he said.
Lieutenant governor Kavinder Gupta reviewed the security scenario in Leh. "He stressed vigilance, coordination & public safety," a statement said. He also stressed the importance of maintaining strict law and order while keeping constant watch on the security environment.
On Saturday around 12 people, named in WHAT FIRs, surrendered before a court including two Congress councillors -- Smanla Dorje Nurbo and Phutsog Stanzin Tsepak - along with vice president of Ladakh Buddhist Association Savin Rigzin and village numberdar Rigzin Dorjey. These four were sent to police custody.
President of Ladakh Bar Association, Leh, Mohd Shafi Lassu, the others were sent to judicial custody.
"Many people, who have been named in the FIR, surrendered. They said that they are innocent and their names have been wrongly included. Many were youth of Leh Apex Body(LAB) and Ladakh Buddhist Association(LBA) vice president, its women wing president , its youth wing president ... and student activists. Investigators only sought the police custody of the four people," he said.
Wangchuk's wife Gitanjali Angmo has trashed allegations of "Pakistan link" and financial irregularities against him.Terming the charge that Wangchuk incited the violence in Leh as "misplaced", she claimed that he has been protesting in the "most Gandhian way possible" and the "situation escalated" on September 24 due to the actions of the CRPF....
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