Kharge seeks judicial inquiry, accountability over Leh protest deaths

New Delhi, Sept 23 : Congress President and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday paid tribute to the four people killed during protests in Leh a year ago and called for a judicial inquiry to establish the facts, fix accountability and ensure justice.

In a post on X on the eve of the first anniversary of the September 24, 2025 violence, Kharge said four young people were killed during the agitation and expressed solidarity with their families.

He said the judicial inquiry into the incident should establish the full circumstances surrounding the violence, examine the actions taken during the episode and ensure accountability.

Kharge also reiterated the Congress' support for constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, including inclusion under the Sixth Schedule, which provides enhanced protections for tribal areas.

"The people of Ladakh have waited long enough for their legitimate aspirations to be addressed," he said, while calling for safeguards to protect the region's land, employment, environment, culture and identity.

He also sought restoration of democratic and representative institutions in Ladakh, saying people of the Union Territory should have an effective role in decisions concerning their future.

Four people were killed in Leh on September 24, 2025, during clashes between protesters and security personnel amid a wider agitation seeking statehood for Ladakh and greater constitutional and political safeguards.

The administration had described the episode as a serious law-and-order situation that resulted in police action and deaths.

The Centre subsequently ordered a judicial inquiry headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice B.S. Chauhan to examine the circumstances leading to the law-and-order situation, the police action and the resultant deaths.

The commission began proceedings in October 2025 and was continuing its work in 2026. As of March 2026, it had examined administrative witnesses and received affidavits from members of the public, while civilian-side evidence was yet to be completed.

The Ladakh administration has sanctioned a compensation package of Rs 1.52 crore for the families of the four deceased and those injured in the violence, including Rs 15 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed.

Demands for greater constitutional protection and political representation have remained central to the Ladakh agitation since the Union Territory was created in 2019 following the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Sixth Schedule provides enhanced safeguards for tribal areas, while representatives and civil society groups in Ladakh have also sought statehood and stronger protection for land, employment, culture and the region's fragile ecology.

Kharge's remarks came as Ladakh marked the first anniversary of the September 24 violence, with civil and political groups organising programmes to remember those killed and reiterate demands for constitutional safeguards and greater participation of local people in decisions concerning the region's future.