NEW DELHI: The father of a Kargil veteran, who was killed during violent protests in Leh, has condemned the alleged brutal treatment his son received from the Ladakh police and has called for a judicial inquiry into the incident.
In an interview with news agency ANI, Stanzin Namgyal, the father, stated, “First they beat my son. His whole body is bruised and black. There are marks all over from sticks. They dragged him, rubbed him, laid him down, and shot him. How could he have been shot like that and the bullet come out of his shoulder? That means they shot him while he was lying down. Even an enemy is not treated like this. They should be punished.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi shared the interview on social media platform X, criticizing the BJP government for what he characterized as a betrayal of the people of Ladakh. He stated, “Father a soldier, son a soldier too—patriotism runs in their blood. Yet, the BJP government took the life of the nation’s brave son by shooting him, simply because he stood up for Ladakh and his rights. Modi ji, you have betrayed the people of Ladakh. They are demanding their rights; engage in dialogue—stop the politics of violence and fear.”
Namgyal is himself a Kargil War veteran and has received commendation from the Chief of Army Staff. He described his son as a patriot who served in the army for 22 years, volunteering for multiple difficult postings. “He said he would not stay at home; he would go back and fight Pakistan. He returned alive, having driven the enemy out, captured ground, and raised the Indian flag. That place is still with India today,” he said.
The father criticized the police’s handling of his son and raised concerns about law enforcement’s approach to civilians. “If someone is very agitated, do not shoot him in the chest first. Shoot in the legs, restrain him, then interrogate him. Then you will find out the truth. But here they beat my son badly. His whole body turned black, there are stick marks all over. They rubbed him on the ground, laid him down, and shot him. We hear that this was not done by soldiers but by the police. They did wrong. This is not the way to handle anyone, even an enemy.”
He also spoke about the impact of his son’s death on his family, which includes four young children. “Some are still studying. Who will look after them now? Who will bring them food or take them to school? My younger one is in Dehradun; I cannot send anyone from here to bring them. They are in trouble. Who will care for those children now? No one seems to care,” he expressed.
Namgyal urged the government to take action, stating, “I am asking the government for a judicial inquiry. A judicial inquiry is absolutely necessary for this incident. Who will listen to us otherwise? The leaders here should ensure a judicial inquiry is done. If nothing is done, what kind of government is this? The poor will not get justice otherwise. We want the truth to come out. Let there be a judicial inquiry so the facts are revealed and justice done. That is what we want.”
