In Leh, the Leh Apex Body (LAB)—one of the principal local organizations in Ladakh—acknowledged that during the recent protest for statehood or greater autonomy, “some youngsters went out of control.” At the same time, LAB strongly alleged that police fired on protesters without warning, causing casualties and injuries. They rejected claims of external instigation or foreign hand in the unrest, and have demanded a judicial inquiry into the circumstances of the firing. According to LAB, many of the injured bore bullet and pellet wounds in the upper body region, suggesting the firing was indiscriminate and without adequate crowd control measures such as warnings or less-lethal response first. LAB leaders also emphasized that while some protest actions may have escalated, the use of lethal force cannot be justified without accountability. On the government and security side, the Ladakh Police Chief has defended the firing, saying that the police used “self-defence” given the scale of unrest and threat posed, arguing that the situation endangered the entire Leh area. He contended that police had no choice given the violence, stone-pelting, arson, and threat to personnel and property. #LadakhViolence #LehProtests #LABStatement #PoliceFiring #JudicialInquiry #StatehoodDemand #SixthSchedule #CivilRights #SelfDefenceClaim #Accountability
