SRINAGAR: Amid curfew and a ban on mobile internet, two of the four people killed on Sept 24 in the violent protest over the demand for statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh were cremated Sunday.A small group of relatives of Jigmat Dorjee (25) and Stanzin Namgyal (24) attended the cremation under heavy security, while media coverage of the event was barred. Rolls of barbed wire were laid around Martyrs Park in Leh to prevent locals from gathering for the ceremony.Officials also prevented Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council chief executive councillor from attending the last rites in order to keep the solemn ritual apolitical.The other two victims, including an ex-serviceman, will be cremated on Monday.Lieutenant governor Kavinder Gupta chaired a high-level security review meeting on Sunday.Meanwhile, Congress’ Ladakh chief Tariq Hamid Karra held the Centre responsible for the crisis. He clarified that environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk has no links with Congress. “The Centre and BJP should desist from blaming Congress for the situation in Ladakh,” he said.Karra also condemned the violence during the Sept 24 protest. He accused BJP of using Ladakhis to celebrate the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and then abandoning them when they began demanding constitutional safeguards. |
