MHA Orders Judicial Inquiry into Leh Police Action, Justice BS Chauhan to Lead Probe

SRINAGAR: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday announced a judicial inquiry into the police action against protestors in Leh that left four people dead and several injured during demonstrations demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh.

The inquiry will be headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice BS Chauhan, who served on the apex court between 2009 and 2014. Justice Chauhan, who was earlier Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court and a judge of the Allahabad and Rajasthan High Courts, will examine the circumstances that led to the September 24 violence and the resultant deaths.

In a notification issued on Friday, the MHA said the inquiry aims “to ensure an impartial investigation into the circumstances leading to the serious law and order situation, the police action and the resultant unfortunate death of four individuals.” Justice Chauhan will be assisted by retired District and Sessions Judge Mohan Singh Parihar as Judicial Secretary and IAS officer Tushar Anand as Administrative Secretary.

The appointment follows persistent demands from political and religious groups in Ladakh, including the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), for a judicial probe into the September clashes. These bodies had made the probe one of their key conditions for resuming dialogue with the Union government.

Justice Chauhan, after retiring from the Supreme Court, had chaired the Law Commission of India from 2016 to 2018 and later led the inquiry commission that cleared the Uttar Pradesh Police of wrongdoing in the 2020 encounter killing of gangster Vikas Dubey.

The September 24 incident in Leh marked a flashpoint in the region’s growing agitation over constitutional safeguards and political representation. Following the police action, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and several local leaders spearheading the protests were detained.

Reiterating its willingness to engage in dialogue, the Central government stated that it remains committed to addressing the aspirations of the people of Ladakh. “We would continue to welcome discussions with the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance through the High Powered Committee on Ladakh or any such platform. The Government is confident that continuous dialogue would yield the desired results in the near future,” the MHA said in its statement.