Demonstration in Occupied Kashmir Injured Many People

SRINAGAR: At least four people were killed and dozens were hurt on Wednesday in India-held Ladakh after protesters demanding statehood and job quotas clashed with police, officials, and witnesses said.

Ladakh tragedy:

The unrest erupted in Leh and nearby areas as activists led by Sonam Wangchuk pressed for greater powers and protections for residents. The protesters want Ladakh to become a full state and to get special status that would allow elected local bodies to protect tribal lands.

Ladakh lost its limited autonomy in 2019 when New Delhi split Jammu and Kashmir and made Ladakh a federally run territory. That move ended local rule and placed the region directly under central government control.

Tensions boiled over into violence on Wednesday. Residents and TV footage showed smoke rising from the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling BJP in Leh, which witnesses said was set on fire. A police vehicle was also shown abandoned and burning. Security forces used tear gas, while some young protesters hurled stones at the police, turning demonstrations into chaotic street clashes.

A police source said more than 50 people were injured, including around 20 police personnel. Hospitals reported treating dozens of wounded civilians for injuries ranging from blunt-force trauma to burns and breathing problems from the gas.

Protest leaders said the cost was steep. Thupstan Tswang, chairman of the Leh apex body, spoke for many when he stressed the weight of the loss. He said, “During this (Wednesday’s) violence, 2-3 of our youth have died for our cause. I want to reassure the people of Ladakh that we will not let the sacrifices of these youth go to waste. We will keep trying to get our demands fulfilled.”

That appeal framed the mood: grief mixed with determination. Families gathered at makeshift memorials and community leaders called for calm while vowing to press on with peaceful demands for rights and jobs.

Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike to press the cause, reacted strongly after the clashes. He urged young people not to repeat the violence, and said it was time to change tactics. He said, “This is not a solution to Ladakh’s problem. If our you­th have sorrow and pain that we are on hunger strike, th­en we are breaking our hunger strike from today.”

Wangchuk also appealed for restraint. He told reporters, “It was the frustration of the youth that brought them to the streets. I appeal to the youth, don’t walk on this path of violence.”

The events underline deep and growing frustration in Ladakh over jobs, land rights, and political power. Protesters say residents have been sidelined in local hiring and decision-making, and they want legal guarantees that protect tribal lands and local culture. Officials in New Delhi have so far resisted converting the territory into a full state, citing national security and administrative concerns. But the latest clashes show that ignoring calls for a political solution risks more unrest.

Local elders and civil society now face a crucial task to channel grief and anger into organised, peaceful pressure that can win real concessions. Community leaders are calling for talks with the central government and a clear road map that addresses jobs, local bodies, and protections for tribal areas.

The tragedy of Wednesday has sharpened that urgency. For many in Ladakh, the message is simple: change must come, but it must come in ways that protect people, preserve peace, and honour the sacrifices of those who died speaking for a future they believed in.

As leaders on all sides weigh next steps, the immediate need is to calm the streets, treat the injured, and open honest talks. Ladakh’s future should be settled at the negotiating table, not in the smoke of burning buildings or the chaos of clashes.