'Head down with shame': Sonam Wangchuk says LG’s compensation for Sept 24 victims small

SRINAGAR: A day after Ladakh Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena announced compensation for victims of the September 24 violence, in which four people were killed in alleged police firing and scores of others injured, Leh Apex Body member and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said was unhappy with the “small” compensation amount and his “head is down with shame.”In his social media post, Wangchuk on Monday evening said that “Looking at this compensation, I do not feel happy, rather my head is down with shame,” Wangchuk said.On Sunday evening the LG Ladakh said, “in our continued commitment to support the families affected by the tragic violence in Ladakh on 24 September last year, today sanctioned a compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the next of kin of each of the four deceased. An ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh for those with major injuries and Rs 1 lakh for minor injuries has also been approved.”“While no compensation amount can replace a life lost or erase the pain endured, the Ladakh Administration firmly stands beside every affected family in their journey towards healing and overcoming the grief,” LG Ladakh said.However, Wangchuk said “you can see that the families of those who died have been offered Rs 15 lakh, while those who were injured and remain disabled for the rest of their lives are offered Rs 3 lakh.”Wangchuk said most of these people were “unarmed civilians and walking on the road” when they were fired upon. “They were shot in the head, chest and legs and that too without any firing order,” Wangchuk claimed. “There was no order to open fire, still AK-47 rifles were used against them,” he alleged.He said that the truth would have come out if the report of the inquiry commission set up to investigate the incident had been released. “Instead, that report is being suppressed. It has been a year and the truth is still not being revealed.”The LAB member said that the country must stand with Ladakh as among “those who lost their lives were former soldiers.” “During the Kargil War, some of them were injured and brought down from the mountains to hospitals. After recovering, they could have returned home but instead they chose to go back and fight for the country. Such people were shot from behind and dragged,” Wangchuk alleged“I will continue to share these stories and facts one by one if proper compensation and justice are not provided. In the interest of the nation, I have remained silent until now. But if such treatment is meted out to people who displayed such courage and sacrifice, then the truth must be placed before the country, whether or not the inquiry commission's report is ever released,” Wangchuk said.On September 24 2025, police allegedly opened fire on protesters demanding Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh after demonstrations turned violent, killing four people and injuring nearly 90. Following the violence, authorities in Leh imposed curfew-like restrictions, suspended mobile internet and arrested over 80 people with FIR registered against 87. Following the incident the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance, two major political groupings refused to have talks with the centre until a judicial commission was announced.Then on October 17 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced a judicial probe headed by a Dr Justice B S Chauhan (former judge, Supreme Court of India) to probe into the September 24 violence in Leh making it a major outreach to the region after weeks of unrest and tension. Retired district and sessions judge Mohan Singh Parihar is its judicial secretary. The commission began its work on October 27 2025. However, the commission is yet to submit its report.After the announcement of the judicial commission, the centre held talks with representatives of the LAB and the KDA on October 22 in New Delhi. Since then Chering Dorjay Lakrook, LAB co-chairman says that LAB has raised the issue of September 24 firing and compensation for the victims in every meeting with the MHA.After the September 9, 2026 meeting in New Delhi, the Ladakh groups said the centre has assured to withdraw cases against those arrested in September 2025 and provide compensation to victims and injured.Stay updated with the latest Srinagar news. Download the TOI App.