SRINAGAR: With the Muslim world venting its anger over the cartoon controversy, Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir is also tension-ridden for the past few days.

While curfew in Kargil continued for the third consecutive day, it was relaxed for two hours in Leh on Sunday.

The Government has ordered a high level inquiry by the Crime Branch into the communal tension in the area. Curfew was imposed in Buddhist-majority Leh on Thursday following communal violence after the alleged desecration of the Quran at Bod Kharbu.

On Friday, in the neighbouring Muslim-majority Kargil, as tension mountedand people damaged government property, the district administration was forced to impose curfew. Deputy Commissioner of Kargil, Kacho Isfandyar told The Hindu over phone that the situation was well under control. "But so far, no decision to relax the curfew has been taken." It may take sometime for normality to be restored, he said. The help of the Army, CRPF and ITBP was sought to maintain law and order in the area.

Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Basharat Ahmed Dhar and Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir zone, K. Rajendra Kumar, who are camping in Leh, held a series of meetings with the Ladakh Buddhist Association and the Ladakh Muslim Association to ease tension.

Investigations

The State Government on Saturday ordered an inquiry into the incidents that led to communal tension in the area. Official sources said that SSP, Crime, Jammu, Sunil Sharma, would conduct the inquiry and DIG, Crime and Railways, S.M. Sahai supervise it.

The inquiry by the Crime Branch would submit its report to the Government within a month's time.

Sources said it would investigate the circumstances that led to subsequent communal tension in the two district headquarters and allegations and counter-allegations of the people of all communities.

Tarigami's concern

The CPI (M) State secretary M.Y. Tarigami expressed concern over communal tension in Leh and Kargil. In a statement, Mr. Tarigami appealed to the Muslim and Buddhist communities to maintain harmony and denounce attempts to obliterate the centuries-old tradition of brotherhood and co-existence.

"Fostering brotherhood and tolerance was in the larger interests of the Ladakh region and it is the responsibility of political as well as religious leaders of the area to put things in order," he said.

MLA Zanskar Ghulam Raza also appealed to the people to maintain brotherhood.

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