Kargil, Sep 24: At least four persons were killed and 59 others injured on Wednesday after a protest demonstration held by scores of people, particularly youth, demanding statehood to the Ladakh Union Territory and inclusion of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule turned violent in Leh.

The protests come ahead of a fresh round of talks scheduled for October 6 between the Union Home Ministry and Ladakhi representatives – the Ladakh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), who have been in negotiations with the Centre for nearly three years over statehood, Sixth Schedule protection, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil.

The agitating youth clashed with the Police, hurling stones and attacking the local office of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Ladakh Autonomous Hill

See Full Page