Last rites of two Ladakhi youth killed in Sept 24 protests held in Leh

The last rites of the two Ladakhi youngsters, who were killed during the protests on September 24, were held on Sunday amid tight restrictions as the curfew in Leh entered its fifth day on Sunday.

As per the locals, nobody was allowed to attend the funeral except the close relatives, some members of the Apex Body Leh and a group of monks to perform the religious prayers. The media was also not allowed to cover the funeral.

Police and paramilitary forces were deployed and barricades were erected on all major roads to scuttle any movement of people or gatherings, especially leading to the funeral sites. It was ensured that there was no major attendance at the funeral of Stanzin Namgyal and Jigmet Dorjee, both in their 20s. The funeral of the other two–including an ex-servicemen–killed during the protests will be held on September 29 afternoon.


“We participated in the last rites but nobody else was allowed to attend. We want the administration to immediately release all those arrested in connection with the September 24 protests as they are innocent and cannot be labelled as anti-national,” co-chairman of the Apex Body Leh and Ladakh Buddhist Association president Cherring Dorjay Lakruk told ET. He demanded that the authorities should lift restrictions as locals and outsiders staying in Leh –– both labourers and tourists –– were suffering due to the unavailability of essential items.

The members of ABL and Kargil Democratic Alliance are scheduled to attend preparatory meetings in New Delhi with the officials of Ministry of Home Affairs on September 29 or 30 to set the agenda for the High Powered Committee meeting between representatives of Ladakh and MHA on October 6.

KDA members have reached Delhi and ABL members will fly after attending the funeral of other two slain Ladakhis. “We expect that the dialogue will be result-oriented now,” said Lakruk. He said ABL members will most probably fly to New Delhi on September 30 as the funerals of two more people are scheduled on Monday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the people of Kargil and their representatives of KDA have stood in solidarity with the people of Leh. Interestingly, all the masjids in Kargil, during the Friday congregation, expressed solidarity with the people of Leh, prayed for those killed during the protests and even observed a shutdown in protest against the use of force by the Leh authorities. The administration has imposed prohibitory orders under section 163 of BNS to scuttle any movement of groups or protests. “Members of Imam Khomeini Trust, our MP and members of LAHDC in Kargil visited the injured in Leh, but none of the BJP leaders or LAHDC councilors of BJP has gone there yet,” said a KDA member.

“This is one of those rare moments when the two areas have risen above their differences and joined hands to stand in unison. This is an important occasion where muslims stood in solidarity with their Buddhist brethren and others facing the brunt,” said Ghulam Mustafa of Leh.