India, Sept. 25 -- At least four civilians were killed, and over 50 others were injured after violent clashes broke out in Leh during the day-long shutdown call given by the youth wing of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) on Wednesday to protest against the Central Government over the issue of granting 'statehood' to the cold desert region of Ladakh and extending the Sixth Schedule status, which provides safeguards for tribal areas, including land rights and local governance.

As tensions mounted and the situation was spiralling out of control, police resorted to heavy tear gas shelling and baton charges to disperse angry protesters who torched the local office of the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), besides police vehicles parked in the middle of the ...