Leh: The Ladakh Union Territory administration on Thursday held a meeting with representatives of various civil society groups to ease tensions following last month’s violence that left four people dead and several others injured, officials said.
The meeting, chaired by Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal, was attended by DGP S.D. Singh Jamwal, Leh Apex Body (LAB) chairman Thupstan Chhewang, co-chairman Chering Dorjey Lakruk, and Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh chairman and Chief Executive Councillor Tashi Gyalson, among others. Senior leaders from the BJP, Congress, and AAP, prominent Buddhist monks, Deputy Commissioner Romil Singh Donk, and SSP Shruti Arora were also present.
Officials said the meeting began with a one-minute silence in memory of those killed in the September 24 violence. The discussions focused on measures to restore complete normalcy in Ladakh, where prohibitory orders and a mobile internet suspension have been in place since the incident.
Participants, including LAB leaders, reiterated demands for confidence-building measures such as a judicial inquiry into the firing, the release of all detained persons, and the immediate restoration of mobile internet services.
Gyalson said the meeting was held in a “conducive atmosphere,” with participants freely discussing all issues related to restoring peace. He added that there was near-unanimous support for a judicial probe into the violence.
“The demand for releasing the detained youth, withdrawing cases against them, and providing adequate compensation to the families of the deceased was also strongly raised,” Gyalson said.
He added that all participants agreed to work together to restore peace in the region. Officials assured that mobile internet services would likely be restored by Thursday night or Friday morning.
