In view of making the conditions better, a magisterial inquiry was earlier ordered by administrative authorities into the September 24 violence in Leh that had left four people dead and scores injured
Situation in Leh limps back to normal. Pic/PTI
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Thursday rejected the magisterial probe ordered by the administration to inquire into the September 24 Ladakh violence incident, news agency IANS reported.
In view of making the conditions better, a magisterial inquiry was earlier ordered by administrative authorities into the September 24 violence, which had left four people dead and scores injured in Leh. The probe was to be completed within four weeks.
However, within a few hours of inquiry initiation, the apex body insisted that only a high-level judicial probe can establish the responsibility for the deaths of civilians in the firing on September 24 during the Ladakh violence, IANS reported.
The apex body's co-chairman, Chering Dorjey, has dismissed the inquiry led by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Nubra.
Dorjey, while talking to the media, said, “We have maintained from day one that there should be a judicial inquiry into the killings of Ladakhi people. We want to know who ordered the firing on civilians without any warning. We don’t accept the magisterial inquiry, and we reject it."
He also rejected the possibility of any talks with the Central government unless "the core demands" of LAB are accepted, IANS reported.
Dorjey set the release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and others detained on September 24 as a precondition for talks.
To bring the situation in Ladakh under control, the administration had appointed SDM Mukul Beniwal as inquiry officer. He has been appointed to ascertain the facts of the September 24 incident when police opened fire during protesters in Leh town.
Four locals, Jigmet Dorjey of Kharnak, Rinchen Dadul of Hanu, Stanzin Namgail of Igoo, and Tsewang Tharchin of Skurbucha, lost their lives in the firing.
The Union Territory administration maintains that the security forces had to open fire in self-defence when unruly protesters pelted stones and torched a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicle with the intention of burning alive the jawans inside it.
Earlier during the violent protest, the mob also torched the offices of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the apex body, while the vehicle of Deputy General of Police (DGP) SD Singh Jamwal was smashed, and the police chief escaped with bruises.
Following the violent protest in Leh, the Ministry of Home Affairs arrested Wangchuk for allegedly inciting violence in the town.
While talking to the media, the Ladakh DGP told reporters, “Wangchuk had been on a hunger strike since September 10, and when violence started in the town, he broke his fast and escaped from the spot in an ambulance."
(With inputs from IANS)
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