Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested by police in Leh on Friday afternoon, two days after a protest in Leh by Leh Apex Body (LAB) demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in Sixth Schedule, turned violent and four protesters were killed and over fifty injured.

A police official said, “Wangchuk has been taken into custody by a police party led by Ladakh Police chief S D Singh Jamwal at 2:30 pm and shifted out of Leh.”

Though Police officials have not elaborated about the charges under which Wangchuk was arrested but sources in Ladakh administration indicated he has been arrested under stringent National Security Act (NSA).

The administration also snapped mobile internet services in the Leh area as a precautionary measure.

Wangchuk, a leading voice for LAB and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been spearheading the five-year-long agitation for statehood and constitutional safeguards for the residents of Leh and Kargil, since 2109 after the formation of  the Ladakh Union Territory. 

He was observing fast for the past many days and had called off his fast after the violence on Tuesday.

Sonam Wangchuk’s wife and opposition leaders have accused the Centre of silencing a peaceful voice, advocating for Ladakh’s identity, environment, and constitutional rights after his arrest.

Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, a  co-founder of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives in Ladakh, alleged, “ Their  home was ransacked by police and  her husband was being unfairly painted as anti-national.”

Terming the action as the “worst form of democracy,” she said, “He was arrested without any trial and accused the government of attempting to tarnish his global reputation  built on contributions to education, agriculture and environment.”

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah called the arrest, “Unfortunate and charged the Centre with dragging back from its promises made to the people of Ladakh.”

National AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal has condemned the arrest and “Accused the Central government for attacking democracy.”

The Centre has strongly blamed him for inciting the recent violence but Wangchuk denied all the allegations.

Earlier the Union Home Ministry had cancelled the FCRA license of Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an NGO founded by Wangchuk, citing alleged financial discrepancies and a fund transfer deemed to be against “national interest”.

( With inputs from PTI news agency)

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