Ladakh LG visits Jammu temple

Jammu, Oct 2: Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta, who visited Jammu on Thursday, said the situation in the Union Territory is peaceful now.

Gupta arrived in Jammu to visit the temple of his ancestral deity -- the Daati Maa Dev Sthan -- in the Arnia border belt of Jammu and pay obeisance.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit, Gupta said, "The situation in Ladakh is peaceful. It will remain peaceful in future too."

He said that like every year, he has come to pay obeisance at the temple of his kuldevi (ancestral deity). "Whatever boon we seek from maata (mother), she fulfils it. It is with the maata's blessing that I have reached this place," Gupta said.

Violent protests erupted in Leh on September 24 during a shutdown called in support of the demand for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Four persons -- Jigmet Dorjey, Rinchen Dadul, Stanzin Namgail and Tsewang Tharchin -- were killed in police firing during the protests, which also left scores injured.

A magisterial inquiry ordered into the violence would be completed within four weeks, officials said.