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Situation in Leh improving, but tourists fleeing

Onkar Singh in Leh

Curfew was lifted in Leh for eight hours on Saturday between 0700 hours and 1300 hours (IST) and between 1700 hours and 1900 hours in the evening. Considering the improvement in the situation, the district administration is contemplating lifting day curfew on Sunday.

The district administration arranged a meeting between the Muslims and the Buddhists in which the Ladakh Buddhist Association apologised for the derogatory remarks made by a senior office bearer. Representatives of both communities gave assurances of maintaining peace and making an effort to ease the tension.

However, the tension has had an adverse affect on the tourism industry with tourists fleeing Ladakh in droves. Indian Airlines is operating additional flights to clear the rush.

District Commissioner Naveen Chandra told rediff.com that he is monitoring the situation on an hourly basis. The curfew was imposed on July 12 following the killing of three lamas by militants in Rang Tum village in Zanskar region of Kargil district.

"We had to impose curfew seeing that tension between the Buddhists and Muslims was rising as a result of the killings. Apparently, it was in retaliation to a member of the LBA making some derogatory remark against the holy Koran," Chandra informed.

Meanwhile, the three lamas were cremated on Saturday in the presence of a large number of people in Zanskar.

As a consequence of the tension, tourists are fleeing Leh. IA operated four flights out of Leh and each one was fully booked. Most of the tourists have left the town. IA plans to operate additional flights on Sunday to clear the rush. Hotels in the town are deserted.

Until the curfew was lifted, the entire town wore a deserted look. A businessman told rediff.com that in his 70 years, he has not seen a situation like this.

In another development, an Israeli tourist, Shaky Offil, was reported missing while on his way to Leh. He was last seen in Manali boarding a bus for Leh.

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