September 30, 2025
NEW DELHI – In a major decision, the Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Monday announced its decision to boycott the ongoing talks with the Home Ministry until peace that has been shattered after the killing of four people in police firing was not restored in the region. They will also not attend the talks with the Home Ministry in New Delhi on 6 October.
The LAB announced in Leh that they will not engage in any further talks with the Centre till peace is restored and a judicial inquiry by a retired judge of the Supreme Court is ordered into the indiscriminate firing by CRPF personnel, killing four protestors and injuring more than 90.
“We appeal to Amit Shah and the administration to douse the atmosphere of fear in Ladakh. Till necessary steps are taken, we wouldn’t participate in talks”, LAB Chairman Thuptsan Chhewang said.
The LAB, which, along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), is spearheading the agitation for statehood for Ladakh and other constitutional provisions, said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Union Territory administration should take immediate steps to restore the confidence of Ladakhis and take steps towards the return of normalcy and remove fear from the locals.
The LAB had to leave for New Delhi today for preliminary discussions with the MHA team ahead of the 6 October talks.
Cherring Dorje, co-chairman of LAB, said that “LG Kavinder Gupta linked our agitation with Nepal. DGP SD Singh Jamwal, also, in his press conference, linked Sonam Wangchuk with Pakistan. We will not tolerate such allegations by the government and “Godi Media” labelling us as anti-national.”
“Were the government agencies sleeping if Wangchuk had any links with Pakistan? The government is trying to hide its wrongs by making such baseless allegations,” he claimed.
He said that the CRPF resorted to firing on 24 September without the orders of the duty magistrate.
Dorje accused the authorities of framing innocent youth in serious cases. Leaders of the LAB youth wing have also been taken into custody.
Dorje alleged that the “intentions of the government were not good” and they had deployed the CRPF in Leh a few days before the firing.
”The four killed in police firing are our heroes, but the government did not let us give them the befitting last rites they deserved. We will give them the status of martyrs,” he stated.
Dorje also demanded the release of Sonam Wangchuk and said that baseless charges have been framed against him.
Meanwhile, Rinchen Dadul (20) from Hanu village and Tsewang Tharchin (46), a former soldier of the Indian Army, from Skur Buchan village, were cremated this morning amid tight security. People were not allowed to pay their last respects to them as curfew remained clamped in the town for the sixth day.
The situation remained by and large peaceful in the curfew-bound areas with no untoward incident reported from anywhere. Police and paramilitary forces are deployed in strength in sensitive areas and are maintaining strict vigil to maintain law and order.