Ladakh violence: Two Cong councillors, several others surrender in court

Leh, Sep 27 (PTI) Two Congress councillors were among several people, who were named in police FIRs following Leh violence earlier this week, surrendered in a local court here on Saturday, a senior lawyer said.

The two councillors – Smanla Dorje Nurbo and Phutsog Stanzin Tsepak -- along with vice president of Ladakh Buddhist Association Savin Rigzin and village numberdar Rigzin Dorjey were sent to police custody, President of Ladakh Bar Association, Leh, Mohd Shafi Lassu said.

He said the police only sought the custody of these four men while rest of others who also include youth leaders of Leh Apex Body and Ladakh Buddhist Association, and students were remanded to judicial custody.

“The bar association has taken up all the cases pro bono and is seeking release of all the arrested persons facing charges under various sections of law. We even challenged the public prosecutor when he sought the custody of four persons. The court accepted our plea for their questioning in presence of their counsels and also mandatory checkup after every eight hours,” the lawyer said. He said all the persons including the councillors are innocents as Tsepak was not the masked person who was shown leading the unruly protesters in photographs or video clips, while Nurbo was in hospital taking care of two elderly persons from his constituency who have fallen seriously ill during the hunger strike on September 23 evening. PTI TAS TAS KVK KVK