The Congress on Friday mounted a counter-offensive against the BJP, sections of the media that are “sympathetic” to the ruling dispensation, and the Right-wing ecosystem for “implicating” the party’s Leh councillor, Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, in Wednesday’s violence, warning of legal and criminal proceedings.

Sources in Ladakh Police said they had reason to believe that Tsepag had no direct involvement in the clashes that left four civilians dead, scores injured, and the BJP headquarters, a hill development council building and vehicles gutted.

The BJP and its supporters claim that Tsepag is to a great extent responsible for Wednesday’s violence in Leh. He was subsequently booked for inciting violence. A police officer in Leh said the initial investigations found he had no role, but added that he and a few other people had made some “emotional speeches”.

“The man in the picture, who is masked, looks like somebody else,” the officer told this newspaper. Tsepag released a video on Friday where he denied any involvement.

Pawan Khera, chairman of the media and publicity department of the Congress, wrote on X: “Several leaders of the BJP and some anchors/ social media influencers have been showing a picture and footage of someone and misrepresenting him as the elected councillor of the Congress.

“We are proceeding with legal recourse and criminal proceedings against all those who have not just attempted to defame our party but have also tried to cause social unrest to fuel further dissensions.

“Instead of sensitively engaging with the betrayed people of Ladakh, the BJP and their media/ social media minions are engaging in their usual mudslinging and looking for an opportunity to milk the outrage of Ladakh and settle scores with political opponents.”

Ladakh Congress president Rigzin Jora, in a letter addressed to lieutenant governor Kavinder Gupta, challenged the accusations that the party was behind the violence.

“There is a lot of blame game going around. Some of these are targeting the Congress councillor for leading the mob on the basis of a purported photograph. Nothing can be further from the truth. We challenge the administration on this count,” he said.

Jora urged the LG to order a judicial inquiry into Wednesday’s violence.

“I am approaching you with a heavy heart and deep sorrow to demand a judicial enquiry into the unfortunate incident on September 24, which led to the death of four young men and injuries to others in police firing,” Jora’s letter said.

The allegations against the Congress were led by BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya, who posted a photograph shortly after the violence and claimed the man rioting was Tsepag. The image shows a man wearing a mask with a rod in his hand.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday defended the Congress, saying that the BJP had a habit of blaming others for its own failures.