Srinagar: At least four people were killed and more than 70 others injured on Wednesday when protests demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution turned violent in Leh.

Confirming the deaths, Leh Apex Body (LAB) Chairman Chering Dorjey told reporters that the town witnessed intense firing and clashes. “Scores sustained injuries and four persons have died so far,” Dorjey said, adding that the situation remained tense late into the evening.

The protests mark a turning point for Ladakh, a region that had long campaigned for separation from Jammu & Kashmir and celebrated its Union Territory (UT) status after August 2019. However, nearly four years under direct central rule have generated fresh demands for statehood, greater autonomy, and constit

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