Protests rocked the Leh region of Ladakh Union Territory on Wednesday as agitators torched the BJP office in the city, pelted stones.
A police van was set ablaze during the chaos, marking a sharp escalation in the agitation that has been gaining momentum over the past weeks. ANI reports, “BJP Office in Leh set on fire during a massive protest by the people of Ladakh demanding statehood and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule turned into clashes with Police.”
The protest call was given by the youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) to express solidarity with environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on a hunger strike for the past 14 days demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for the Union Territory.
The agitation that has been building over the past few weeks dramatically increased when a police van was set on fire during the mayhem.
On October 6, representatives from the Center and Ladakh, including members of the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body (LAB), are set to begin a new round of negotiations.
Later on, ANI reports, environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk speaks on BJP leader Amit Malviya's allegations of the involvement of Congress Councillor Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag in violence targeted at the Leh BJP office during a protest over the statehood demand and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule, in Leh.
{This is a developing story. Please stay tuned with us for more updates.}
