Ladakh leaders vow not to bow to Indian pressure, reiterate demand for judicial probe into Leh killings
Leh: Leaders of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have reaffirmed that the people of Ladakh region in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir will not succumb to New Delhi’s intimidation and pressure tactics, vowing to continue their peaceful struggle for justice, statehood, and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the LAB and KDA leaders reiterated their demand for a judicial probe, led by a retired judge of the Indian Supreme Court, into the killing of four civilians by Indian forces during the September 24 violence in Leh.
Following a joint core group meeting held in Leh, the leaders, while speaking to reporters, listed four preconditions for the resumption of dialogue with New Delhi — a judicial probe into the killings, unconditional release of all detainees including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, fair compensation for the slain and injured, and structured talks focused solely on statehood and Sixth Schedule inclusion.
Wearing black armbands as a mark of protest, the leaders said that Indian paramilitary forces and police were responsible for committing atrocities on peaceful protesters. They said their movement would not be silenced through repression. “Ladakhis will not be pressured or scared. The Indian government and the Ladakh administration must wake up and stop this reign of harassment. Bullets, threats, or jail terms cannot silence Ladakhis,” they asserted.
KDA leader Asgar Ali Karbalai, flanked by LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook and other leaders, warned the Indian authorities to “come out of the illusion” that normalcy has returned to Ladakh. “This is the lull before the storm,” he said, adding that youth and village headmen were being harassed and that attempts were underway to destroy evidence related to the September 24 killings.
Karbalai announced that a Ladakh-wide silent march will soon be held to protest the killings and to reaffirm the people’s demand for statehood and Sixth Schedule protection. The march, he said, would be followed by a symbolic blackout in the evening to highlight Ladakhis’ unity and resolve. “Unless Ladakhis are granted justice and their constitutional rights, they will not remain silent,” he asserted.
The KDA leader cautioned the Indian government and the Ladakh administration to act “before this silence takes the shape of a storm,” lamenting that instead of introspection, the authorities had resorted to threats, detentions, and coercion. “Officials as well as common people are being pressured to issue favourable statements. This will not be tolerated,” Karbalai warned.
