Climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on Friday under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) following violent protests in Leh demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh. The demonstrations earlier this week left four people dead and nearly 100 injured.
Ladakh Police chief SD Singh Jamwal led the team that detained Wangchuk around 2:30 pm. Soon after, he was moved to a high-security jail in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Authorities also imposed curfew-like restrictions and suspended mobile internet services across Leh district as a precautionary measure.
Sources said Wangchuk was preparing to address a virtual press briefing from his village when police arrived. His wife, Gitanjali Angmo, condemned the arrest, alleging that police “ransacked” their home and accused the government of running a smear campaign. “This is the worst form of democracy. They have taken him away without trial or reason,” she said, calling the move an attempt to portray her husband as “anti-national.”
Opposition leaders also criticized the action. The Congress accused the BJP-led government of diverting attention from its failure to maintain law and order in Ladakh. J&K National Conference leader Omar Abdullah called the arrest “unfortunate,” while PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti described it as “deeply disturbing,” noting Wangchuk’s lifelong commitment to peace and education.
Wangchuk, a key leader of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance, has long campaigned for Ladakh’s statehood and constitutional safeguards. He recently ended a 35-day hunger strike after violence broke out in Leh, where protesters set fire to the BJP office, the Leh Hill Council building, and several vehicles.
Speaking to the media hours before his arrest, Wangchuk questioned how a person dedicated to education and innovation could be jailed while “those who loot the government walk free.”
