Leh:After more than a week of unrest, authorities in Leh have announced a temporary four-hour curfew relaxation from 10 a.m. on Tuesday, offering a brief window for normalcy in the town still reeling from last week’s violent clashes. However, mobile internet remains suspended, and prohibitory orders are still in place in key areas across the Union Territory.
This decision follows Monday’s limited two-hour relaxation in the evening, which came after the last rites of four individuals—including a retired Army veteran—who died during protests on September 24. That day saw intense confrontations between demonstrators and security personnel during a shutdown led by the Leh Apex Body (LAB), demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule for Ladakh.
During the relaxation hours, essential services, grocery stores, vegetable vendors, and hardware shops were permitted to operate. Additional District Magistrate Ghulam Mohammed issued the directive, encouraging residents to stock up on necessities while the situation remains tense.
A senior police official said that any further easing of the curfew would depend on ground-level developments and urged the public to cooperate with the administration.
Security remains tight, with heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces across sensitive pockets in Leh and nearby areas. Authorities reported no fresh incidents of violence since last Wednesday, although the atmosphere remains cautious.
Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta, who has been holding daily security briefings, called for unity and calm. In a public message, he said, “Peace is the foundation of development. The administration stands with the people and is committed to addressing all genuine concerns through dialogue.”
Gupta emphasized the need for better intelligence coordination, stronger community outreach, and quicker grievance redressal mechanisms to rebuild trust between citizens and the administration.
Meanwhile, the internet shutdown continues in Leh, and public gatherings of more than five people remain banned in major parts of Ladakh, including Kargil. Over 60 people have been detained in connection with the violence, including activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was booked under the National Security Act and transferred to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan on September 26.
The BJP’s Ladakh unit has called for a detailed probe into the events of September 24. In a statement, the party demanded justice for the victims and urged authorities to release those charged with minor offences. It also appealed for peace, saying, “Ladakh has always stood for harmony. Let us not allow misinformation or misguidance to tear that fabric apart.”
As the region remains on edge, today’s curfew relaxation is seen as a cautious step towards normalcy—but uncertainty looms over how long calm can be sustained without concrete political dialogue.
