Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk taken to Jodhpur central jail

JODHPUR: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail following his detention under the provisions of the National Security Act, officials said. He was taken to Jodhpur Central Jail on Friday night after his arrest in Ladakh.

Wangchuk’s arrest comes amid chaos over the recent protests in Leh, where the protesters have been demanding statehood for Ladakh, among other things.

The protests turned violent in Leh on September 24, following which the BJP office in the area was set on fire. Two days after the death of four people in violent protests, Wangchuk was detained under provisions of the National Security Act (NSA). The climate activist has been accused of “inciting violence”. Wangchuk was on a hunger strike, which ended right after the violence unfolded.

SONAM WANGCHUK: ACTIVISM OR FINANCIAL MISCONDUCT?

Sonam Wangchuk has positioned himself as the face of “people’s activism” in Ladakh. But behind the carefully crafted image lies a troubling record of financial irregularities, violations of law, and questionable dealings that… pic.twitter.com/LeK9kElY28

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) September 26, 2025

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Saturday strongly condemned the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk following the recent protests in Ladakh’s Leh that took a violent turn, demanding that the renowned activist be released immediately.

Labelling his arrest as “a direct attack on democracy,” he asserted that Wangchuk is the voice of Ladakh, not a criminal. “Truth can never be imprisoned. Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest is a direct attack on democracy and tantamount to trampling the law. He is the voice of Ladakh, not a criminal. He has put in unparalleled effort to strengthen the education system in Ladakh. I demand the immediate release of Sonam Wangchuk, who has become a victim of vindictive politics. Suppressing dissenting voices does not strengthen democracy, but rather weakens it,” Bains posted on X.

The climate activist has been advocating for Ladakh’s inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which concerns the administration of tribal areas and advocates for the creation of autonomous district councils with certain legislative and judicial powers. The Sixth Schedule under Article 244 currently applies to the Northeastern states of Assam, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya.

Restrictions under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) remained in place in Leh on Saturday, following recent violence during protests demanding statehood for Ladakh. According to the official order, assembly of five or more persons is banned in the district. No procession, rally or march is to be carried out without prior written approval. Security personnel have been deployed in the area. (ANI)