Former BJP MP Demands Judicial Investigation Into Deadly Ladakh Protests

Former BJP MP Jamyang Tsering Namgyal has called for a judicial investigation into the violent incidents in Ladakh where four protesters lost their lives during security forces' firing.

A prominent BJP figure from Ladakh has raised concerns about the government's response to recent protests and the subsequent deaths of four demonstrators who were shot by security forces on Wednesday. Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, who previously served as the region's MP and was a key BJP representative in Ladakh, is insisting on a judicial inquiry, stating that innocent lives were lost and "the sacrifices of our young men must not be forgotten."

In his communication to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Namgyal expressed that firing upon unarmed protesters has undermined public confidence and requested a time-bound and neutral investigation.

"There exists serious concern that authorities could have managed the crisis with greater restraint. While we must condemn acts of violence and arson, the decision to fire upon unarmed protesters has severely damaged public trust," Namgyal stated in his letter.

The situation escalated on Wednesday when protesters demanding statehood and constitutional protections for Ladakh turned violent. A crowd set fire to the BJP office, the Ladakh Hill Council building, and several police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicles. The protesters also threw stones at law enforcement personnel. According to police reports, approximately 30 police and CRPF personnel sustained injuries during the stone-pelting incident.

Security forces responded by opening fire, resulting in four fatalities and multiple injuries.

"I am writing with immense sadness, representing Ladakh's people and in my personal capacity as a former Member of the 17th Lok Sabha, to convey deep sorrow regarding the tragic events in Leh on September 24, 2025. What began as peaceful democratic expression transformed into violence, claiming four young lives, injuring many, causing property damage, and leaving our community in fear," Namgyal wrote to Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta.

In his letter, Namgyal emphasized, "Ladakh is at a critical crossroads, and we cannot allow the sacrifices of our young men to be meaningless."

Namgyal was serving as BJP MP from Ladakh when the region was established as a separate union territory in August 2019, following the division of Jammu and Kashmir and the removal of its special status.

He noted that "grief across Ladakh runs deep, with citizens seeking justice for those who lost their lives innocently, support for the injured, and guarantees that such a tragedy will never happen again."

Calls for a judicial investigation have intensified in Ladakh after the bodies of the four men killed in the firing were returned to their families on Thursday. One of the deceased was a former Army soldier who had served with the Ladakh Scouts.

The unrest began when protesters emerged from a venue where activist Sonam Wangchuk was conducting a hunger strike. Wangchuk was subsequently arrested on Friday under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).

While authorities have accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence, Ladakhi leaders allege that security forces fired indiscriminately on protesters and are demanding action against those responsible for shooting civilians.

"This clearly demonstrates disproportionate force. I am calling for an impartial judicial investigation into the deaths of protesters and the injuries sustained by many," stated Haji Hanifa Jan, Member of Parliament from Ladakh.

The Leh Apex Body and Ladakh Buddhist Association, both influential organizations in Ladakh, have joined in these demands. They have rejected allegations of Wangchuk's involvement in the violence or any external influence in the Leh protests. According to them, some individuals from Jammu and Kashmir's Doda region who were injured on Wednesday were merely "innocent bystanders who were struck by bullets during indiscriminate firing."