Diplomat Correspondent
Leh: DD, The Leh Apex Body (LAB) has strongly criticized claims suggesting foreign involvement in the recent Leh violence, terming such assertions as baseless and misleading.
Ashraf Ali, a senior member of LAB, said that the protests which turned violent on September 24 were driven by local frustration and had no external influence. “To project the agitation as being controlled by foreign hands is not only untrue but also an insult to the people of Ladakh,” he stated.
He added that some non-local labourers from Nepal, Doda, and other areas were caught in the clashes, with several sustaining injuries.
According to Ali, nearly 90 civilians were injured during police action on the day of the violence.
LAB has reiterated its demand for a judicial inquiry into the incident to ascertain accountability, including who ordered the police firing. Among the four people killed were a 23-year-old student and a 42-year-old member of Ladakh Scouts.
The apex body said attempts to divert attention by invoking foreign elements would not address the underlying issues that have triggered unrest in Ladakh.[KNT]