India makes heavy deployment in Ladakh to prevent protests
New Delhi: The Indian BJP government has ordered the deployment of 12 companies of paramilitary forces in the Ladakh region of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir in view of planned demonstrations and marches on the first anniversary of last year’s deadly protest in the territory.
According to Kashmir Media Service, ten companies of the Indian Central Reserve Police Force and two companies of the Rapid Action Force, a specialised force of the CRPF trained to deal with protesters, will be deployed in Leh district for the entire month of September.
The deployment comes amid plans by civil rights groups and the Leh Apex Body (LAB) to hold demonstrations and ‘padyatras’ to mark the September 24 anniversary of last year’s demands of their political rights and justice for those killed by Indian forces during the protests. The LAB has announced a ‘Martyrs’ Month’ from August 24 to September 24, increasing concerns within the Indian authorities over renewed public mobilisation.
The military buildup has raised questions about New Delhi’s approach towards Ladakh’s longstanding political demands. The protests are centred on demands for full statehood for Ladakh region and inclusion of the territory under the Sixth Schedule, which provides special protections for tribal areas.
The decision also comes against the backdrop of the Indian miliatry’s violent crackdown on protesters last year. On September 24, 2025, demonstrations that had initially been peaceful turned violent after clashes between protesters and Indian forces. At least four people were killed in Indian forces firing.
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk had joined a hunger strike in Leh and emerged as a prominent voice for statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. He was subsequently detained under the draconian National Security Act (NSA) and shifted outside the territory to an Indian jail Jodhpur. Sonam Wangchuk was released from Jodhpur Central Jail on March 14, 2026, after spending nearly six months in illegal detention.
