Ladakh administration drops criminal cases against twenty people ahead of anniversary

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has announced the withdrawal of criminal cases against twenty of the eighty-seven people booked after protests turned violent in Leh last year. Four civilians had died in police firing during those protests. The individuals whose cases are being dropped include Jigmat Dorjay, Rinchen Dadul, Stanzin Namgail, and Tsewang Thirchin, who have passed away over the past year. Dropping these cases was a major demand raised by local representatives during talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs. This decision follows an earlier announcement where the administration stated it would file closure reports for twenty-five people from the same group. Out of the eighty-seven accused in the rioting cases, eighty-one were arrested and proceedings started against them. Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra previously noted that nine people were chargesheeted due to evidence of involvement, while the Lieutenant Governor directed the police chief to review cases for others still under investigation. LG Saxena stated that dropping these cases aims to build peace and social harmony in the region, helping the individuals move forward with their lives. He also thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for guidance on the matter. Meanwhile, the Centre recently proposed adding a new constitutional provision called 'Article 371(K)' to give extra protections to Ladakh during discussions with local representatives. These talks also center around demands for statehood and the Sixth Schedule. This legal development happens right as climate activist Sonam Wangchuk plans a twenty-kilometre march to mark the anniversary of the civilian deaths. During last year's protests on September twenty-fourth, four people died and forty-four suffered injuries when police opened fire. Wangchuk was later booked under the National Security Act and spent six months in a Jodhpur jail. Additionally, the administration recently approved compensation of fifteen lakh rupees for the families of each deceased person, along with smaller amounts for those injured.