Leh, April 18, KNT: The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has granted bail to two persons, including a former MLA, arrested in connection with the unrest in Leh last September that left four people dead and around 90 injured.
The court granted bail to former MLA Deldan Namgail and former councillor Smanla Dorje Nurboo, who had been in judicial custody for several months following the violence.
With this development, all those arrested in connection with the unrest have now secured bail, according to District Bar Association president Mohammad Shafi Lassu.
Lassu said the High Court granted bail to the two on Thursday and that their release is expected shortly. He added that more than 80 people arrested after the violence have now been granted bail.
“Our demand is that the cases should be withdrawn,” he said.
The development was welcomed by political leaders in Ladakh. Sajjad Hussain termed the bail order as “good news for Ladakh,” noting that the two had spent nearly seven months in custody.
The unrest in Leh had erupted in September last year during a hunger strike led by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh.
Clashes during the protests resulted in four deaths and nearly 100 injuries, triggering widespread concern across the Union Territory.
Read: Leh Violence Leaves 4 Dead as Statehood Protests Turned Violent
Wangchuk was later detained under the National Security Act, which was revoked last month by the Union Home Ministry.
Despite his release, protests have continued in Leh and Kargil districts, with demonstrators reiterating demands for statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The rallies, called by the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, also urged the government to announce dates for the next round of dialogue.
The latest bail orders mark a significant legal development in the aftermath of the unrest, even as political demands in the region remain unresolved. [KNT]
Ladakh Unrest September 24, 2025 | What Happened
Four people were killed and many others injured in violent clashes in Leh town on September 24, 2025, during protests demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh.
The violence erupted after hundreds of protesters took to the streets as part of an ongoing agitation that included hunger strikes and a shutdown call. The situation escalated when clashes broke out between protesters and security forces, with reports of attacks on property, including a political office and vehicles.
Police resorted to firing to bring the situation under control, marking the first major instance of violence during the statehood movement in the region.
The protests were led by local groups and supported by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who had been on a prolonged hunger strike demanding statehood and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
The unrest reflected growing dissatisfaction in Ladakh following its reorganization as a Union Territory in 2019, with residents raising concerns over governance, land rights, employment, and protection of cultural identity.
The incident intensified political pressure on the Centre, leading to renewed calls for dialogue between Ladakh-based groups and the government, though no breakthrough was achieved in subsequent talks.
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