Leh: Curfew remained in force in this violence-hit town for the fifth consecutive day Sunday, with Lt Governor Kavinder Gupta set to hold a security review meeting to take a call on the relaxation in the restrictions, officials said.
The curfew was imposed Wednesday evening following widespread protests during a shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) to advance talks with the Centre on the demands for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh.
It was for the first time relaxed for four hours in a phased manner in the town Saturday and the relaxation period passed off peacefully.
Four people were killed and scores of others were injured in the violence Wednesday, while over 50 persons were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in rioting. Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was also detained under the National Security Act and lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan.
“The situation remained by and large normal with no untoward incident reported from anywhere. The Lt Governor is scheduled to chair a security review meeting at Raj Bhawan shortly, and a decision will be taken on the relaxation of restrictions during the day,” an official said.
He said mobile internet services in the town remained suspended, while prohibitory orders banning assembly of five or more persons also remained in force in other major parts of the Union Territory, including Kargil.
Police and CRPF personnel in full riot gear were seen deployed in strength in the curfew-bound areas, while ITBP personnel were also seen staging a flag march this morning.
The last rites of two of the slain persons are scheduled to take place later in the day.
Two Congress councillors were among several people who were named in police FIRs following the Leh violence, and they also surrendered in a local court Saturday.
The two councillors, Smanla Dorje Nurbo and Phutsog Stanzin Tsepak, along with vice president of Ladakh Buddhist Association Savin Rigzin and village numberdar Rigzin Dorjey, were sent to police custody, President of Ladakh Bar Association, Leh, Mohd Shafi Lassu said.
He said the police only sought the custody of these four men, while the rest of the others, who also include youth leaders of Leh Apex Body and Ladakh Buddhist Association, and students, were remanded to judicial custody.
“The bar association has taken up all the cases pro bono and is seeking the release of all the arrested persons facing charges under various sections of law. We even challenged the public prosecutor when he sought the custody of four persons. The court accepted our plea for their questioning in presence of their counsels and also mandatory checkup after every eight hours,” the lawyer said.
He said all the persons, including the councillors, are innocent. Tsepak was not the masked person who was shown leading the unruly protesters in photographs or video clips, while Nurbo was in the hospital taking care of two elderly persons from his constituency who had fallen seriously ill during the hunger strike September 23, the lawyer claimed.
PTI
