The administration in Ladakh on Thursday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the deaths of four persons in police firing during protests in Leh on September 24.

In an order, the district magistrate in Leh appointed Nubra Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mukul Beniwal as the inquiry officer to conduct the investigation, The New Indian Express reported.

The four persons – Jigmet Dorjey, Rinchen Dadul, Stanzin Namgail and Tsewang Tharchin – were killed in police firing during protests demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Demonstrators clashed with and threw stones at the police, and set fire to the Bharatiya Janata Party office and a police vehicle.

The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution guarantees protection for land and nominal autonomy for citizens in designated tribal-dominated areas. In Ladakh, more than 97% of the population belongs to the Scheduled Tribes.

Activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested in Leh on September 26. The Union government has claimed that the violence was incited by “provocative statements” made by the activist.

The magisterial inquiry will examine the facts and circumstances that led to the law and order breakdown, the subsequent police action and the deaths, The New Indian Express reported.

The inquiry officer has been asked to submit a report within four weeks.

The administration also invited persons with information about the September 24 violence to record their statements between October 4 and October 18 at the DC Office Conference Hall in Leh.

“Any person(s) having information about the incident or is willing/desirous to give oral evidence/ written statement/ material evidence (photos or video recordings) before the inquiry officer regarding the incident may appear before the undersigned and provide statements/evidence,” a notice said.

On Monday, the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance, civil society coalitions that have been leading the movement seeking constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, called off talks with the Union home ministry. The coalitions stated that “talks cannot be held at gunpoint”.

The two coalitions have been demanding a judicial inquiry into the four deaths by a retired judge, the release of those detained after the violence and the withdrawal of charges against Wangchuk.

The police had detained 50 persons following the violence.

Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo on Wednesday wrote to President Droupadi Murmu seeking the activist’s “unconditional release”.

Angmo said that Wangchuk was arrested “without cause” and that she had not been allowed to speak to her husband over the phone or in person.

“A full-scale witch hunt has been unleashed for the past one month in particular, and for the past four years covertly, to kill the spirit of my husband and all the causes he stands for and espouses,” Angmo wrote.

She described Wangchuk as a “peaceful Gandhian protester with an impeccable track record of service to the nation”.

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