The preparatory meeting of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), scheduled for September 27 and 28 in New Delhi, has been postponed to September 29.
This has been done in view of the funerals of the four people who were killed in police firing after a protest by the youth wing of the LAB in support of statehood and the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh turned violent on September 25.
The protesters went on a rampage after the health condition of two elderly participants of a hunger strike led by Sonam Wangchuk, a noted climate activist and academician, deteriorated. The strike was against the delay on the part of the Centre in holding talks with the LAB and KDA, who represent the political and religious bodies of Leh and Kargil districts, on statehood and the Sixth Schedule for the region.
Wangchuk started the 35-day hunger strike on September 10. He had urged the Centre to hold talks with leaders of Ladakh urgently, instead of October 6, in view of the ongoing hunger strike, warning that the youth of Ladakh were getting impatient and hoped they did not resort to anything that would become a cause of “embarrassment for India”.
To calm down tempers in Ladakh, MHA officials held a meeting with leaders of the LAB in Leh yesterday and invited them to Delhi for a preparatory meeting for the talks on September 27 and 28.
However, Tseting Dorjey, a senior member of the LAB, told THE WEEK that the funerals of the four people killed will take place on September 27 and 28. “Two funerals will take place on September 27 and two on September 28,” he said. “We will travel to Delhi on September 29 and the preparatory meeting will take place the same day in the afternoon," he added.
He said three members each from the LAB and KDA will participate in the preparatory meeting. The LAB members, apart from himself, will include Thupstan Chhewang and Ashraf Ali. The KDA will be represented by Asgar Karbalai, Sajad Kargili and Kamar Ali, and Ladakh MP Haneefa Jan, who is also from Kargil.
Dorjey said four of the injured are in a serious condition and they would be shifted to Delhi for treatment. The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Leh, Ghulam Mohummad, issued a statement on the condition of the injured; 90 injured were admitted to NHM Hospital.
Also read
- Child finds 'Chinese' gun-mountable scope from garbage bin in Jammu and Kashmir, probe on
- How the Indian Army, BSF are keeping vigil as intel suggests Pak terrorists may use Jammu’s dense fog for cover
- J&K hydel project row: Nov 1 police letter claims 29 with 'terror or criminal' links were hired at Ratle
- Soon, Poonch’s Banwat View Point will have 105-ft-tall Tiranga, Indian Army confirms
According to the statement, despite all possible efforts by doctors and medical staff, four individuals lost their lives. It said that out of the admitted patients, seven remain in critical condition, 20 suffered major trauma and 61 sustained minor injuries.
“We are relieved to inform you that 50 patients were discharged yesterday after receiving treatment. One patient in critical condition has been referred to Delhi for specialised care. As of now, 18 patients remain admitted in NHM Leh, of which 11 were discharged today following medical recovery,” the statement said. “The district administration and police have completed the postmortem procedures, and the bodies of the deceased have been respectfully handed over to their families.”
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 continue to remain in place in Leh to maintain order.