MHA orders judicial inquiry into Leh law and order incident

NEW DELHI:

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday ordered a judicial inquiry into the law and order incident that occurred in Leh town on September 24, which led to police action and the unfortunate death of four individuals. The inquiry will be conducted by former Supreme Court judge B S Chauhan to examine the circumstances leading to the incident, the subsequent police action, and the resulting loss of lives.

An FIR has already been registered at Leh Police Station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including Sections 189, 191(2), 191(3), 190, 115(2), 118(1), 118(2), 326, 324, 326(e), 326(f), 326(g), 309, 109, 117(2), 125, 121(1), and 61(2). Justice Chauhan will be assisted in the inquiry by Mohan Singh Parihar, Retired District and Sessions Judge, as Judicial Secretary, and Tushar Anand, IAS, as Administrative Secretary. The ministry stated that the inquiry aims to ensure transparency and accountability in examining the events that led to the incident and the subsequent police response.

The move comes days after a mob instigated by activist Sonam Wangchuk's provocative speeches left the venue of his hunger strike and attacked a political party office as well as government office of the CEC Leh. They also put these offices on fire, attacked the security personnel, and torched a police vehicle. The unruly mob attacked the police personnel in which more than 30 police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel were injured. The mob continued to destroy the public property and attack the police personnel. In self-defence, police had to resort to firing in which unfortunately some casualties are reported.

A hunger strike was started by Wangchuk on September 10 stating the demand of 6th schedule and statehood for Ladakh. It is well known that the Central government has been actively engaged with Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance on same issues.