BJP office set on fire in Ladakh's Leh amid massive protests | WATCH

A massive protest in Leh demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule escalated into clashes with police, during which the BJP office was set on fire.

#WATCH | Leh, Ladakh: BJP Office in Leh set on fire during a massive protest by the people of Ladakh demanding statehoothe d and the inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule turned into clashes with Police. https://t.co/yQTyrMUK7q pic.twitter.com/x4VqkV8tdd

— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2025

In response, authorities are deploying four additional companies of ITBP and four additional units of CRPF to Leh. A flag march is also being conducted to restore order.

Fresh protests broke out in Leh after two residents, who had been on a 15-day hunger strike alongside climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, were hospitalised. Since the abrogation of Article 370, Ladakh has been witnessing demonstrations demanding statehood and tribal status. In a video message on X, Wangchuk appealed for peace, urging people to remain calm.

VERY SAD EVENTS IN LEH
My message of peaceful path failed today. I appeal to youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause.#LadakhAnshan pic.twitter.com/CzTNHoUkoC

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— Sonam Wangchuk (@Wangchuk66) September 24, 2025

Initial reports indicate that supporters of the Leh Apex Body (LAB)-an umbrella group of religious, social, and political organisations-gathered outside the BJP office in Leh to protest the Centre's failure to resume talks with Ladakh representatives. Their demands are led by statehood and Sixth Schedule status.

Meanwhile, the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) has called for a shutdown on Thursday, September 25, in support of the LAB and its demands.

These fresh protests come ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections scheduled next month. In the 2020 polls, the BJP emerged victorious. Ladakh was carved out as a Union Territory in 2019, following the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir.