Ladakhis erupted in joy and celebration on August 5, 2019 after Article 370 was revoked and Ladakh finally became a union territory - something they had been demanding since India's independence.
Six years later, the same region is rocked by violent protests - leaving at least four, including an ex-serviceman, dead in the police firing, and 70 others including at least 30 police and paramilitary personnel injured.
Residents of Ladakh were protesting to demand protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
This was the first time since 1989, and the first time after the abrogation of article 370 that the region saw violent protests.
So how did Ladakh go from celebrating Union Territory status to actively protesting within a span of six years? The answer to this question lies in his history, and a struggle that has spanned decades.
A Struggle That Spanned Decades
The demand for Ladakh’s autonomy started just after India’s independence and the subsequent accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the princely state of India, which Ladakh was then a part of.
It was around the same time that the Ladakh Buddhist Association or the LBA was formed (previously Young Men's Buddhist Association) , a body that has largely defined the region’s political trajectory. The LBA had always pushed for Ladakh’s Union Territory status, but had scaled it down to seek autonomy because the revocation of Article 370 was considered politically infeasible at the time.
They however pivoted back to demanding UT status in 1989. The primary reason behind this was that the LBA felt that the administration in J&K prioritised Kashmiris, and Ladakh and its residents were ignored.
After article 370 was abrogated, Ladakh became an Union Territory but without a legislature. This meant that it was governed directly by the centre.
Ladakhi’s lost their representation in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, which consisted of four MLAs. They also couldn’t protect their land anymore, which was earlier protected by Article 370.
Protests in Ladakh demanding Union Territory, and Scheduled Tribes status for its residents were largely peaceful throughout history. However, on 24 January 1981, Lobzang Tsondus of the Likir monastery and Tashi Angchuk of Saspol village were killed during an agitation.
Eight years later, a minor altercation between a Buddhist youth and four Muslims escalated into communal tensions, with the LBA calling for a boycott of Muslims in Leh. This call for boycott was fuelled by fears of Kashmiri influence, rise of armed resistance in Kashmir, and perceived discrimination against Buddhists in Ladakh.
During this period, the LBA intensified its push for UT status.
On August 27, 1989, police opened fire on protesters near Leh’s historic polo ground, killing three men: Nawang Rinchen, Tsering Lobzang, and Tashi Angchuk. This was only the second instance of violence in Ladakh in many decades. This was also the last recorded instance of violence in the region till September 2025.
From Demanding Union Territory to Demanding Statehood
Post the revocation of Article 370 and the passing of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, Ladakh becomes a Union Territory. The former state of Jammu and Kashmir is bifurcated into two union territories - Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Ladakh was carved out as an UT without a legislature, placing it under direct control of the Lieutenant Governor and the Centre.
While Ladakhis got what they had been demanding for decades i.e. union territory status, but this came with its own share of problems. Being governed directly by the centre meant they lost their representation in the J&K Assembly and had no say in how their land will be governed.
Hence, they demanded statehood, constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts and job reservation for local residents.
The Sixth Schedule will allow the residents of Ladakh to have a say in how the region is administered, through an autonomous district council.
Most Ladakh residents have voiced resistance to the ongoing infrastructure and development projects in the region as they fear these projects risk erasing cultural identity, land rights and the ecological balance of an already sensitive region.
They say that they were not involved in the decision-making process with respect to such projects.
By 2020, Ladakhis were out on the streets in protest. It were these demands that led to the formation of the Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) - after several local organisations came together.
The protests were called off after Home Minister Amit Shah met them and assured them that their demands would be met. This meeting happened ahead of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Council elections.
In 2021, The LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) came together to voice a unified demand for the same.
Peaceful protests continued till 2022.
On 26 January, 2023, as India celebrated Republic Day, celebrated innovator Sonam Wangchuk, actively joined the cause. To bring attention to the cause of the Ladakhis, he undertook a five-day climate fast.
Talks between the Centre, LAB and KDA did commence in the same month, initiated through the establishment of the High Powered Committee (HPC) on Ladakh by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The next month, Wangchuk travels to New Delhi to protest at Jantar Mantar.
A year passes, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party reaffirms their promise of granting protection under the Sixth Schedule, the same year as the Lok Sabha elections.
By February that year, hundreds, led by the LAB and KDA take to the streets of Leh to protest. In March, Wangchuk goes on a 21-day hunger strike. In September, Wangchuk, along with several others start a 1000 km padhyatra from Leh to Delhi, but are stopped at the national capital's borders by the Delhi police by violating the assembly prohibitions.
As a reaction to that, Wangchuk goes on an indefinite hunger strike. After 16 days, the Ministry of Home Affairs invites him for talks.
A year passes, and protests resume on 10 September 2025. Wangchuk and 14 others started a hunger strike, which they planned to sustain for 35 days.
The Home Ministry agrees to resume talks with Ladakhi leadership. Sets the date for October 6. However, the leadership reportedly wasn’t happy with the terms set by the government, and thus the hunger strike continued.
On September 23, 72-year-old Tsering Angchuk and 60-year-old Tashi Dolma collapsed during their hunger strike and had to be hospitalised. The news of this brought forth several young Ladakhis to take active part in the protests, who until then had only observed from the sidelines.
The next day, the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan ground, which saw a daily turnout of 100-400 protestors since September 10, witnessed almost 5000 gathered to protest.
The protests turned violent, with the first incident being reported at Cheetah Chowk, 300 metres from the protest site. At least four, including an ex-serviceman Tsewang Tharchin (46) from Skur Buchan, died in the police firing. The others were Jigmet Dorjay (25) from Kharnakling; Stanzin Namgyal (23) from Igoo; Rinchen Dadul (20) from Hanu.
70 others including at least 30 police and paramilitary personnel were injuries in the violence.
The protestors torched and vandalised the local BJP office in Leh.
Wangchuk, withdrew his hunger strike and appealed for peace. However, the government blamed him for provoking the protestors. He was later charged under the NSA and detained by the police.