Padyatra marks anniversary of September 24 violence
Leh: Climate activist and educator Sonam Wangchuk on Wednesday led a symbolic padyatra in Leh to mark the first anniversary of the violence that occurred during protests seeking statehood and Sixth Schedule safeguards for Ladakh on September 24, 2025, when four people were killed.
The march, organised by members of the Leh Apex Body (LAB), was shortened because of changing weather conditions. Participants planned to reach the Shaheed Memorial Park in Leh on Wednesday evening and observe Shaheed Diwas on Thursday with prayers at diverse religious places, organisers said.
Demands: probe, compensation and safeguards
Wangchuk repeated calls for an early submission of the judicial enquiry report set up to investigate the September 24 incident and pressed for adequate compensation for those killed and injured. He said the families of those who died should receive at least ₹1 crore each, describing the earlier government announcement of ₹15 lakh as insufficient.
"We organised the padyatra today and will observe Shaheed Diwas tomorrow in memory of those who were killed in the indiscriminate firing on September 24 last year," Wangchuk said.
He also urged that the enquiry determine whether there was a firing order, why the firing took place, how automatic weapons were allegedly used against protesters and how the violence began, asking for transparency in the report.
Local participation, coordination with Kargil groups
The Kargil Democratic Alliance held a parallel march in Kargil that drew hundreds, including members of the Socialist Party of India and students from Delhi University, the reports said. LAB and Kargil socio-political organisations intend to hold a larger gathering at a stadium in Leh on Thursday to commemorate those who died.
Organisers described participation in Leh as deliberately limited, saying they refrained from a broad external appeal because several local people wanted the commemorative programme to be led by residents.
Concerns over governance changes and ongoing talks with Centre
Members of LAB and Kargil bodies have warned against irreversible changes on governance and land transfers until an elected local body is in place. The groups have said that major restructuring should not proceed prior to establishing representative institutions in the union territory.
Wangchuk expressed frustration with what he called "dillydallying" by the central government but said he hoped the ongoing dialogue with the Union Home Ministry would be conducted with "sincerity and honesty." He described the May 22 meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) as a positive step but said the September 9 meeting appeared to repeat earlier positions.
Administration view and status of talks
Earlier, Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra said the meeting between the home ministry and representatives of Ladakh discussed the broad contours of a sui-generis model of governance under Article 371 in a constructive atmosphere, according to reports. LAB representatives are engaged in dialogue with the Centre along with Kargil groups.
- Event: symbolic padyatra in Leh ahead of Shaheed Diwas
- Key demands: immediate judicial enquiry report; at least ₹1 crore compensation to families of the deceased; safeguards on land and governance
- Coordination: parallel march in Kargil; larger stadium gathering planned in Leh
| Item | Reported figure/position |
|---|---|
| Government compensation announced | ₹15 lakh (per the reports) |
| Compensation demanded by organisers | ₹1 crore (per Wangchuk) |
The marches and commemorative events come amid continuing discussions between Ladakh representatives and the Union Home Ministry about a bespoke governance arrangement for the union territory. Organisers indicated they will continue to press for justice for victims of the September 24 violence while seeking assurances that land, governance and development decisions will not be finalised before local electoral representation is restored.
