High security during the funerals of two deceased in Leh violence in Leh on September 29, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI
A 21-year-old Tibetan refugee is among several injured people who were hit by a bullet in police action on September 24 when protests to demand constitutional safeguard in Ladakh’s Leh turned violent, leaving four dead.
A statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on September 24 said that “in self-defence, police had to resort to firing in which unfortunately some casualties are reported”.
Tara (name changed), a student of nursing in Bengaluru, was airlifted from Leh on September 24 and is presently admitted at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Jai Prakash Narayan Trauma Centre of the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi.
Ms. Tara’s mother Dichen (name changed) told The Hindu that her daughter had gone for some bank-related work when she was caught in the violence.
‘Not a part of protest’
“She was not part of the protests, she had come home during semester break and had gone to the bank on September 24 when the protests erupted. A bullet pierced her chest. She was given initial treatment at SNM hospital in Leh and a day later she was flown to Delhi for advanced treatment by the Ladakh administration,” Ms. Dichen, a beauty professional who is also a single mother, said.
The Tibetan community in Delhi is helping Ms. Dichen with her accommodation and mobility here. She along with her brother take turns to stay at the hospital to look after Ms. Tara.
“We do not have any clarity on when she will be discharged. She can barely speak. I have no idea what happened that day. I got a call from the authorities in Leh that she was injured and when I reached the hospital she had already been operated upon. Next day she was airlifted to Delhi,” she added refusing to share the photograph of her daughter as it may affect her career.
Another member of the Tibetan community who is accompanying the family said: “We are refugees. How can we participate in protests? It will he held against us.”
She is stable: Ladakh administration
A statement by Ladakh administration said that the condition of the 21-year-old female patient is stable.
It added that Dr. Rinchen Chosdol, Medical Superintendent, SNM Hospital, Leh, has stated that as per the attending doctors at AIIMS, the patient is now on the third day post-operation and was extubated a day ago. “She is maintaining adequate oxygen saturation on nasal prongs and is haemodynamically stable. The patient has also started taking oral feeds,” the statement said adding that the member secretary of Ashoka Mission, a social worker from the mission, and the patient’s mother are at AlIMS with her.
An AIIMS official said, “She had sustained chest trauma and was operated upon the same day. She required ventilator support for three days. Now, she is off ventilator support and on oxygen support by face mask. Presently, she is stable but we are monitoring her in ICU.”
On September 26, prominent educationist and environmentalist from Ladakh, Sonam Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980 for disrupting public order. Mr. Wangchuk was on a 35-day hunger strike when violent protests erupted in Leh city, which led to the death of four people and injuries to around 150 others, including security personnel.
Civil society groups in Ladakh have been demanding protection of land, resources and employment for the past five years after the special status of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the Constitution was read down by Parliament on August 5, 2019 and the State was split into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, the latter without an Assembly.
Published – September 29, 2025 09:55 pm IST
