Srinagar: Curfew-like restrictions were imposed in Ladakh today (October 18) while mobile internet has also been suspended in view of the call for peace march by the civil society.

Witnesses said that the Ladakh police attempted to foil a symbolic march by heads and representatives of four different religious organisations at Skara market in capital Leh on Saturday morning even though the district administration has banned gatherings of five or more persons under section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS)

A video showed the leaders of Anjuman Moin-ul-Islam (AMI), Christian Association of Leh (CAL), Anjuman Imamia and a member of representatives Ladakh Gompa Association (LGA) arguing with Leh deputy superintendent of police Rishabh Shukla, an IPS officer, that restrictions were imposed on the gathering of five or more people.

“We are only four,” AMI president Dr Abdul Qayoom can be heard telling deputy superintendent of police, Shukla, who was posted in Leh last month, “Media is recording everything. If there are more than four people, you can arrest us. You can’t stop four people. You are violating the law”.

“Listen to me, brother,” Shukla told Qayoom, switching suddenly from English to Hindi, “If there is a law and order situation because of you, you will be held responsible. I am requesting you to disperse. It will be easy for all of us”.

“It is a symbolic march,” Anjuman president Ashraf Ali Barcha told the officer, “Let’s complete it. If you cooperate with us also, it will be nice for the whole thing. That’s why we are only four. Others you can deal with them and tell them to go back,”

“Please allow us to proceed. We are not breaking any law,” CAL president Sonam Parvez urged senior superintendent of Leh police Shruti Arora who also arrived on the scene in Skara market where the four leaders were stopped.

Witnesses earlier said that the police didn’t allow the group of four which also included LGA member Shedup Chamba from carrying out the symbolic march.

According to some initial reports, some leaders of the LAB-KDA combine including Ladakh Buddhist Association president and LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay Lakrook had reportedly been put under house arrest to prevent them from participating in the march.

All the four religious heads were later allowed by police to march till Shanti Stupa in Leh following which they dispersed peacefully.

All the leaders wore black armbands as a mark of protest against the September 24 violence and a sober reminder of the prevailing political crisis in the region bordering China.

In Kargil as well

Security was beefed up across the capital city as well as Kargil and other parts of the region since Friday evening while barricades have been set up at some major intersections in Leh to implement the prohibitory orders issued under section 163 by Leh district magistrate Romil Singh Donk.

Prohibitory orders under section 163 were also imposed in Kargil on Saturday by the district administration.

Section 163 grants sweeping powers to magistrates to prohibit or restrict public gatherings, even as the Supreme Court has ruled that the legislation which covers offence under section 144 of the old law should be used sparingly in “extraordinary” circumstances.

The restrictions were clamped across Ladakh in view of the peace march which was announced by the joint leadership of Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) and Leh Apex Body (LAB) earlier this week.

The KDA-LBA combine, which has been seeking constitutional safeguards and restoration of democracy in Ladakh, had urged people across Ladakh to carry out a march wearing black armbands on Saturday morning from 10 to 12.

A peace march was carried out by the civil society leaders in Kargil district despite prohibitory orders.

Dozens of participants wearing black armbands and black masks held placards and marched in the Kargil market while demanding Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh and release of all the detainees held by police including the incarcerated climate activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk.

Ladakh will also observe a power blackout from 6 pm to 9 pm today as part of the day-long protest by the residents to remind the Bhartiya Janta Party led Union government of their four demands and condemn the alleged use of violence against protesters by security forces on September 24.

On Friday, the Union home ministry said that a judicial inquiry led by retired Supreme Court judge B.S. Chauhan will be carried out into the violence.

The MHA statement said that the inquiry will probe the “circumstances leading to the serious law and order problem” in Leh on September 24 and “unfortunate death of four civilians” in “police action”.

The Leh police have filed an FIR (144/2025) under sections 189, 191(2), 191(3), 190, 115(2), 118(1). 118(2). 326. 324, 326(c), 326(f), 326(g), 309, 109, 117(2), 125, 121(1), 61(2) of BNS in connection with the violence.

The MHA order said that the former SC judge would be assisted by Mohan Singh Parihar, retired district and sessions judge as judicial secretary and IAS officer Tushar Anand as administrative secretary “in conducting the judicial inquiry”.

The controversial SC judge gave clean chit to Uttar Pradesh police in 2021 following a judicial inquiry into the encounter killing of Kanpur gangster Vikas Dubey.

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