The Ladakh administration has defended its decision to transfer climate activist Sonam Wangchuk — arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) on Thursday — to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan, stating that he was “indulging in activities prejudicial to the security of the State” and that keeping him in Leh was “not advisable in the larger public interest.”
Two days after violence in Leh over demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule inclusion left four dead and 80 injured, police detained Wangchuk near his residence under the NSA, 1980, which allows detention for up to 12 months without trial. The Ramon Magsaysay awardee was later shifted to Jodhpur Central Jail.
Following his arrest, authorities suspended mobile internet services in Leh, where curfew remains in place for the fourth consecutive day.
“No untoward incident has been reported from anywhere in Ladakh during the past 24 hours. Restrictions remain in place to maintain law and order,” an official said.
The official added that police and paramilitary patrols had been intensified in sensitive areas, with raids underway to nab absconding rioters, including a councillor accused of instigating the violence.
Defending the transfer, the Ladakh administration said it had “taken a considered decision based on specific inputs” to detain Wangchuk under the NSA and move him to Jodhpur. It alleged that “time and again, it was observed that Sonam Wangchuk was indulging in activities prejudicial to the security of the State and detrimental to peace, public order, and essential community services.”
The administration further alleged that despite communication from the government regarding the High-Powered Committee (HPC) meeting and offers of prior consultations, Sonam Wangchuk “with his ulterior motive” continued his hunger strike.
It claimed that his “series of provocative speeches, references to Nepal agitations, Arab Spring, and misleading videos” incited the violent protests in Leh on September 24, 2025, during which institutions, buildings, and vehicles were set on fire. In the aftermath, police personnel were also attacked, leading to the deaths of four people.
The administration maintained that the violence could have been avoided had Wangchuk called off his fast once dialogue with the government resumed.
“It is important to restore normalcy in the peace-loving town of Leh. To ensure this, it is equally important to prevent Sonam Wangchuk from further acting in a manner prejudicial to public order. In the backdrop of his provocative speeches and videos, keeping him in Leh district was not advisable in the larger public interest,” the statement said.
Following the violence, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also blamed Wangchuk’s speeches for triggering unrest.
“It is clear that the mob was incited by Sonam Wangchuk through his provocative statements. Incidentally, amidst these violent developments, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making serious efforts to control the situation,” the MHA alleged.
The ministry further claimed that Wangchuk’s references to the Arab Spring and Nepal’s ‘Gen Z protests’ fuelled anger that led to the torching of the BJP office in Leh and several government vehicles.
A day later, the MHA cancelled the FCRA licence of Wangchuk’s NGO, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), citing alleged violations including foreign fund transfers from Sweden.
The CBI is also investigating alleged FCRA violations linked to the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Ladakh (HIAL), whose land allotment was recently revoked by the administration.
Wangchuk, however, rejected the charges, calling them a “witch hunt” and a scapegoating tactic. “I have always been ready for arrest — that was one of the possibilities. I will stand by my principles and do everything to save the Ladakh Himalayas and the nation,” he said before being taken into custody.
“This is all happening because of our demands for Sixth Schedule protection and statehood. These demands come in the way of corporates who are eyeing a huge chunk of land in Ladakh. Our prime pasture lands are being handed over, and when I began raising my voice, they came after me,” the activist alleged.
Wangchuk ended his 35-day fast on Wednesday after the violence. He and his supporters had been on hunger strike since September 10.
His elder brother, Phunsong Wangchuk, said he had anticipated the arrest. Rejecting the administration’s claims, he said: “He is not involved in mobilisation. He has staged peaceful hunger strikes five to six times in the last five years. He was only supporting the Leh Apex Body from outside.”
“Jailing him will not affect him much, because he has already made his life like a jail. In fact, it will give him more time to meditate, read, and write,” Phunsong added. (Agencies)
