“Troublemakers won’t be spared,” warns Ladakh LG

Surrounded by two hostile neighbours, Pakistan and China, Ladakh “cannot afford violence,” Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta warned on Friday, asserting that those trying to disturb peace and vitiate the atmosphere in the sensitive border region “will not be spared.”

Gupta’s remarks come in the backdrop of the September 24 mob violence in Leh, which left four people dead and several injured. A magisterial probe has been launched into the incident, and authorities say the situation is now “fast improving.” Curfew restrictions were fully eased on Thursday, and normalcy appears to be returning with markets, offices and schools (up to class 8) reopening and commercial vehicles resuming operations.

To prevent any repeat of the violence, Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which prohibits large gatherings, remains in force across the Union Territory.

Gupta, speaking to PTI, said authorities have identified and detained several individuals for inciting mob violence through speeches and statements, and action is being taken against those spreading deepfake videos online. “There must be justice for the innocents and punishment for the culprits. People who attempted to disturb the peace will not be spared,” he said.

Reiterating Ladakh’s strategic importance, Gupta added, “We cannot afford unrest in a region that shares borders with both Pakistan and China. Our priority is the unity and integrity of the nation, and we know Ladakh’s people are peace-loving and patriotic.”

On calls for a judicial probe into the violence, the LG said a magisterial investigation was already underway. He expressed condolences over the deaths, including that of an ex-serviceman’s son, describing the incidents as “tragic” ,“Whether they were directly involved or not is a secondary question. The mob created a situation where counteraction became inevitable,” he added.

Gupta also urged the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), the two main groups leading the agitation, to return to dialogue with the Centre. “Dialogue opens the way forward. Everything can be resolved if we sit together,” he said.

However, both groups have boycotted the Centre’s talks scheduled for October 6, demanding a judicial inquiry into the killings and the release of all detainees, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. Their core demands include statehood for Ladakh and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule.

The administration maintains that maintaining peace is paramount in the strategically sensitive region, and those attempting to disrupt it, from street agitators to online provocateurs, will face strict action.