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Residents of Leh city in Ladakh stepped out in large numbers on Friday as the administration relaxed curfew restrictions imposed after recent violent clashes. The streets witnessed increased movement of vehicles and pedestrians, and local markets reopened, bringing much-needed relief to the public.
Shops and commercial establishments were allowed to operate between 10 am and 6 pm as part of the relaxation. A local resident stated, "The markets were closed for a week." The unrest in the region stemmed from protests demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The demonstrations turned violent in Leh, leading to confrontations with police officials. Earlier, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor (LG) Kavinder Gupta had emphasised that the Central government is committed to addressing the aspirations of the people of Ladakh and expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved through dialogue. "They (Ladakh leaders who were part of protests) are engaging in talks with the administration, and given current events, we can also have discussions at the table. Once such an environment is fostered, we will begin the dialogue. The administration tried to represent the interests of the people... I've been here for the past two months, and I haven't turned down any meetings. People listen to what I say and work towards solutions...," Gupta told ANI. LG Gupta stated that the administration is taking steps to create jobs, and efforts are also ongoing to involve people in other sectors. "Job creation efforts are ongoing here. We have advertised approximately 1,000 positions. Additionally, we are working to involve people in the tourism, education, and health sectors. There are 18,000 MSME units, engaging over 50,000 people...," LG Gupta said. Meanwhile, LG Gupta on Wednesday chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the prevailing law and order situation in the Union Territory. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Pawan Kotwal, Director General of Police SD Singh Jamwal, DIG Srinagar South PK Singh, Deputy Commissioner Leh, Senior Superintendent of Police Leh Sanjay Kumar, CO 79, Rajat Jain, CO 25, and other senior officials. The officials briefed the Lt Governor on the latest security scenario and the measures undertaken to maintain peace and stability in the region. The violence on September 24 claimed the lives of four people amid police retaliation, after the protestors set a political party office on fire. (ANI)
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