Srinagar/Jammu:, Sept. 24 -- Ladakh administration on Wednesday withdrew cases against 20 individuals booked in connection with September 24 violence in Leh last year, a day ahead of the first anniversary of the incident that left four people, including a retired soldier, dead and more than 80 injured. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) have been demanding withdrawal of cases against all those booked in connection with the violence. Meanwhile, the two organisations, led by Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, held a 20-km foot march to press the Centre for an elected governance model and other constitutional safeguards for Ladakh. "In the larger interest of peace, public tranquillity, and social harmony in Ladakh, I have approved the withdrawal of criminal cases against 20 individuals, related to the unfortunate violence that erupted in Leh on September 24 last year. Following a comprehensive review, the Ladakh police recommended a closure report for 20 individuals in FIR no. 144/2005, registered at PS - Leh, under Section 360 of the BNSS," Ladakh lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said in a post on X. In August, the Ladakh administration had withdrawn cases against 25 persons booked over the violence. Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra said 87 people were booked following the September 24 violence. "This decision ensures that these 20 individuals move forward positively with their lives and careers. By prioritising justice and healing over protracted litigation, the decision aims at fostering a more peaceful, united, and harmonious society in Ladakh," Kundra said in a post on X. On September 13, the administration had announced Rs.15 lakh compensation for the next of kin of each of the four people killed in the violence. Ladakh organisations, led by LAB and KDA, have been pressing for statehood and protections under sixth schedule since the Centre abrogated Article 370 in 2019 and reorganised the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two UTs of J&K with a legislative assembly and Ladakh without one. The region witnessed violent protests on September 24 after four people were killed, with the administration imposing a curfew and arresting several protesters, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the stringent National Security Act (NSA). Wangchuk was released on March 14 this year after nearly six months of detention. On May 22, during a meeting of the Ladakh bodies and sub-committee of the Union home ministry, an agreement was reached on setting up an elected governance model in Ladakh and providing constitutional safeguards under Article 371. LAB and KDA leaders led a 20km foot march in Leh to press their demands and commemorate those killed and injured in the last year's violence. Talking to reporters, LAB leader and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk said, "Today a march has been held in memory of those killed in indiscriminate police firing last year. We are remembering them and offering our tributes to them". He said that the first anniversary of the violence would be commemorated at Leh on Thursday. Wangchuk said the report of the judicial inquiry commission had not yet been released. "The people of Ladakh want to know who actually engineered the violence on September 24. As we hold the march, we also await the findings of the judicial inquiry commission under a retired judge. A year has passed, but the report is nowhere in sight. We need to know as to why police opened fire when people were holding a peaceful protest on September 24 last year," he said. The climate activist also criticised the Rs.15 lakh announced by the Ladakh administration for the families of the four people killed. "When the precedent in the country for such deaths is Rs.1 crore, then why has the Ladakh LG announced Rs.15 lakh? It is humiliating and amounts to adding salt to the injury," he said, adding, "And what about those who were left injured? They also deserved adequate compensation. So, for all these issues and to reiterate our demands, we held a march today." The LAB leader reiterated the need for an early resolution of the Ladakh issue. "This Ladakh issue needs to be resolved, but the big decisions being taken by the LG are going against the spirit of the in-principle agreement arrived at between the Centre and the stakeholders on May 22. We want that firstly the governance be handed over to the people, and then big decisions are taken," he said. He again expressed disappointment over the September 9 meeting between Ladakh representatives and the Centre in Delhi. "We anticipated that in the September 9 meeting a draft proposal would be presented by the Centre, but nothing of this sort happened and we were left disappointed," he said. "Now, the Centre has called the next meeting in the first week of October. It appears that the Centre has adopted dilly-dallying tactics, which is creating disappointment among the people of Ladakh," said Wangchuk. On Tuesday, Ladakh chief secretary Ashish Kundra said that a new framework was being worked out under Article 371 to provide constitutional safeguards suited to the specific requirements for Ladakh. "A new model is being worked out considering the aspiration of the Ladakhis which does not exist anywhere else in the country," he said. He said that the draft would be discussed at the next meeting proposed to be held in the first week of October....