SRINAGAR: Amid the crackdown by police following the mob violence in Leh on statehood and 6th Schedule demand on September 24, which resulted in the deaths of four people and injuries to 80 others, at least 14 individuals have surrendered to the court.
Those surrendered include a former Congress MLA, three councillors (some from the Congress party), and leaders from the Leh Apex Body (LAB). As the curfew remained in force in Leh with no relaxations, the Lt Governor warned that strict action will be taken against those trying to incite violence or create unrest.
According to Leh Apex Body (LAB)’s legal advisor Haji Ghulam Mustafa, 12 people, including three councillors, vice president Ladakh Buddhist Association ( LBA ) Leh, office-bearers of LAB surrendered before the court on Saturday. “Two others, including ex Congress MAL Deldan Namgyal and councillor Tundup Nubu Cheetah surrendered before the court on September 26,” he said.
Police have detained 40 people after the violence. The mob torched offices of BJP and Leh Hill Council, police and CRPF vehicles and pelted stones on many government buildings. More people, whose names figure in the FIRs, are likely to surrender before the court on Monday. The Ladakh Bar Association Leh would be pleading cases of the persons detained by the police in the court.
President of Ladakh Bar Association, Leh, Mohammad Shafi Lassu, said many people have been named in FIR No 144 registered by police under different sections of BNSS. “They have been charged under different sections including attempt to murder (Section 109 of BNSS), instigating people, assembling, pelting stones,” he said, adding “some more FIRs have been lodged by the police”.
Meanwhile, Ladakh L-G Kavinder Gupta today chaired a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Leh.