Ladakh approves withdrawal of cases against 20 people

Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena approved the withdrawal of criminal cases against 20 people booked in connection with the September 24, 2025, violence in Leh, including four people who died in the incident. Saxena said the decision followed a Ladakh Police recommendation for closure reports in the cases, but the reports provided no confirmation that they have been filed or that a court has acted on them. Saxena announced the approval on September 23, a day before the violence’s first anniversary. In a post on X, he said the police recommended closure reports for the 20 people in FIR No. 144/2005, registered at the Leh police station, after reviewing the investigation. He described the approval as intended to support peace and allow those named to move forward with their lives. The 20 are a subset of those booked after the violence. One report puts the overall number at 87. The four deceased included in the approved withdrawal were identified in reports as Jigmat Dorjay, Rinchen Dadul, Stanzin Namgail and Tsewang Thirchin. The approval does not amount to a blanket withdrawal of all cases linked to the incident.