Leh/Jammu, September 24: A shutdown was observed in several parts of Ladakh on Thursday to mark the first anniversary of the September 24, 2025 violence in Leh, in which four people were killed during protests demanding statehood and safeguards under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Shops and business establishments remained closed in Leh and Kargil, while traffic remained thin on roads, affecting normal activity in several areas. The day is being observed by sections of the region as “Shaheed Diwas” in memory of those who lost their lives during last year’s violence.
Tributes and remembrance programmes were also organised in Leh and Kargil. Climate activist and Leh Apex Body (LAB) leader Sonam Wangchuk led a symbolic padyatra in Leh on Wednesday ahead of the anniversary.
The march was initially planned as a longer programme involving the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, but was limited to a symbolic march in Leh due to weather conditions. Participants covered around 20 km before reaching the Shaheed Memorial Park in the evening.
Wangchuk said the march was held in memory of those killed during the violence and announced that September 24 would be observed as Shaheed Diwas. He also called for the early submission and public release of the report of the judicial inquiry into the incident.
The judicial inquiry was ordered after the September 24, 2025 protests turned violent. Its findings have not yet been made public. Wangchuk has sought clarity on the circumstances that led to the police firing and the sequence of events that resulted in the deaths and injuries.
Meanwhile, on the eve of the anniversary, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the withdrawal of criminal cases against 20 individuals booked in connection with the September 2025 violence. The decision followed a recommendation by the Ladakh Police after a review of the cases under Section 360 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
According to the administration, 87 people were identified as accused in cases related to rioting, of whom 81 were arrested and faced criminal proceedings. The cases against 20 individuals were subsequently recommended for withdrawal.
The September 24, 2025 protests in Leh were held over demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards for Ladakh. The demonstrations turned violent, resulting in four deaths and injuries to several others. A judicial inquiry was subsequently ordered into the incident.
