Curfew imposed in Ladakh after intense clashes; heavy security in towns, 50 detained
Leh (PTI): At least 50 people were detained as police and paramilitary forces strictly implemented curfew on Thursday in the violence-hit Leh, where four people were killed and over 80 others were injured when widespread clashes broke out a day before.
A shutdown called by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) -- to advance talks with the Centre on demand for statehood and extension of Sixth Schedule to Ladakh -- had descended into violence, arson and street clashes on Wednesday.
Strict prohibitory restrictions banning assembly of five or more persons have been placed in other major towns as well, including Kargil where a shutdown was called by the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in support of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was leading a hunger strike.
Wangchuk's fortnight-long hunger strike was called off after intense clashes broke out in Leh town. The protesters had set ablaze the BJP office and several vehicles, besides vandalising the Hill Council headquarters, prompting promulgation of an indefinite curfew in the town.
"The situation in the curfew-bound areas is well under control. There are no untoward incidents reported from anywhere," a police official told PTI.
He said around 50 people were detained overnight for their involvement in the violence.
The official said three among the injured were citizens of Nepal and police are probing if there are foreign hands behind the violence.
The LAB and KDA have been spearheading an agitation in the last four years pressing for their demands on statehood and extension of Sixth Schedule. They have held several rounds of talks with the Central government in the past. The next round of talks is scheduled on October 6.
Officials said heavy deployment of police and paramilitary personnel in riot gear was made in Kargil, Zanskar, Nubra, Padam, Changtang, Drass and Lamayuru.
Kargil District Magistrate Rakesh Kumar issued prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in the entire district, banning assembly of five or more persons, taking out processions or holding demonstrations without prior written permission of the competent authority.
Restrictions were also imposed on the use of loudspeakers, sound amplifying devices, or vehicle-mounted public address systems without authorisation. Besides, no person shall make any public statement, speech, or declaration -- whether verbal, written, or through electronic means -- which is likely to disturb public peace, provoke enmity, or cause a breach of law and order in the district, the official order said.
Trouble began brewing in Leh when two out of 15 people, who were on a 35-day hunger strike since September 10, were shifted to hospital after their condition deteriorated on Tuesday evening, and the LAB youth wing gave a call for protest.
The Centre had alleged that the mob violence was guided by the "provocative statements" of activist Wangchuk. It said certain "politically motivated" individuals were not happy with the progress made in the ongoing talks between the representatives of the government and Ladakhi groups.
"The government stands committed to aspirations of the people of Ladakh by providing adequate constitutional safeguards," the home ministry said in a statement on Wednesday night.
Terming the events heart-wrenching, Lt Gov Kavinder Gupta had said everyone has the right to speak up in a peaceful manner in a democratic system, but what happened was not spontaneous and was the result of a conspiracy.
"Curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure to prevent more casualties," Gupta said.
In an online press conference, Wangchuk said the fact that Tsering Angchuk (72) and Tashi Dolma (60) hospitalised was most likely the immediate trigger for the protest.
With the situation worsening rapidly, he stepped in with an appeal and an announcement that he was cutting short the fast.
"I request the youth of Ladakh to stop the violence forthwith as it only causes harm to our cause and further deteriorates the situation. We do not want instability in Ladakh and the country," he told his supporters.
"This is the saddest day for Ladakh and for myself personally because the path we are treading for the last five years was peaceful... We held hunger strikes on five occasions and walked from Leh to Delhi, but today we are seeing our message of peace failing because of the incidents of violence and arson," Wangchuk said.
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
