Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested on Friday under the National Security Act (NSA), two days after violent protests in Leh turned deadly, leaving at least four people dead and 90 injured.
The demonstrations, demanding statehood for Ladakh and the extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, have been spearheaded by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) for more than five years.
According to officials, the Ministry of Home Affairs held Wangchuk—an influential member of LAB—responsible for provoking the unrest. “Wangchuk’s arrest under the NSA was important at this point. The crackdown on SECMOL’s funding and licence cancellation provided further grounds for investigation. After the violence and business disruption, public support for him was not unanimous,” sources said.
They added that the government viewed his detention as a preventive step: “The protests already caused deaths and arson. The state needed strong action to restore order and prevent further escalation. Wangchuk is the symbolic face of the movement, and detaining him weakens its ability to mobilise quickly. Leaving him free could have led to more speeches, more mobilisation, and renewed unrest.”
Hunger Strike and Denial of Charges
Wangchuk, who had been on a hunger strike in support of the statehood demand, ended his fortnight-long fast on Wednesday following the outbreak of violence. He categorically denied the allegations of instigation, condemned the unrest, and maintained that the movement was peaceful.
LAB’s Response
The Leh Apex Body also rejected the government’s claims, insisting that Wangchuk had no role in the violence. At a press conference on Friday, LAB leaders argued that the clashes on September 24 were triggered when a section of youth acted independently of senior leadership.
“We had called for a Leh Bandh on September 24. Before that, on September 23, two protest participants were hospitalised. A large crowd of youth gathered at the hospital, and the next day, more people than we anticipated arrived at the protest site. A significant portion of them were young men,” a LAB representative said.
The group admitted that some protesters vandalised the BJP office but accused the police of an excessive response. “Despite senior leaders’ attempts to calm the crowd, the police opened fire without prior warning or the use of tear gas,” the member alleged.
The developments mark a turning point in the agitation, which has long demanded constitutional safeguards and full statehood for Ladakh, citing threats to the region’s identity, land, and resources. With Wangchuk’s detention, the future course of the movement appears uncertain.
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