Climate activist and Magsaysay Award winner Sonam Wangchuk was flown from Leh to Jodhpur on Friday after being detained under the National Security Act (NSA).
The move came following violent protests demanding Ladakh’s statehood that left at least four people dead and several injured.
Wangchuk and the Leh Apex Body began a 35-day hunger strike on September 10, calling for Ladakh’s inclusion under the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule and statehood. The protest was triggered after the Union home ministry reportedly ignored requests for a meeting on these demands.
Violence broke out on September 24 after the health of two elderly protesters, aged 72 and 60, deteriorated. Officials said the unrest escalated due to provocative speeches by some hunger strikers. Wangchuk described the detention as a “witch hunt” and blamed public frustration for the unrest.
He was taken into custody by police at 2:30 pm on September 26. A statement from the Ladakh administration accused Wangchuk of engaging in activities “prejudicial to the security of the State and detrimental to public order,” citing his continued hunger strike, provocative speeches, and references to Nepal agitations and the Arab Spring.
To restore normalcy in Leh and prevent further unrest, the administration moved Wangchuk to a detention facility in Jodhpur. Mobile internet services in Leh were temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure.
Chering Dorjey, vice president of the Leh Apex Body, criticized the detention, saying it may worsen the situation. Legal counsel Haji Mustafa stated that the group will meet to decide on the next course of action.
