Within hours of his arrest under the National Security Act (NSA), climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was shifted to Jodhpur Jail in Rajasthan under heavy security.
The administration of the Union Territory of Ladakh, late Friday evening, confirmed that the arrested activist had been moved to Jodhpur.
Wangchuk was arrested three days after unprecedented protests broke out in Leh town of Ladakh, leading to the deaths of four people.
In a statement issued late Friday, the Ladakh administration said: "On 26.09.2025, Sonam Wangchuk, son of Sonam Wangyal, resident of Uley Tokpo, Leh, has been detained under the National Security Act, 1980. Time and again, it has been observed that Shri Sonam Wangchuk has been indulging in activities prejudicial to the security of the State and detrimental to the maintenance of peace, public order, and essential services to the community."
The administration further noted: "Despite clear communication from the Government regarding the meeting of the High-Powered Committee (HPC) and offers of prior discussions before the HPC, Sonam Wangchuk, with ulterior motives, continued his hunger strike. His series of provocative speeches, references to Nepal agitations, the Arab Spring, and misleading videos resulted in the violent protests of 24.09.2025 in Leh, during which institutions, buildings, and vehicles were set ablaze. In the aftermath, police personnel were attacked, leading to the unfortunate death of four individuals."
According to the administration, the entire episode could have been avoided had Wangchuk called off his hunger strike when the government resumed dialogue on the same agenda.
Defending its decision to arrest him, the UT administration said: "It is important to restore normalcy in the peace-loving Leh town of Ladakh. 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, and in the larger public interest, it was not advisable to keep him in Leh district."
"In this backdrop, the administration, based on specific inputs, took a considered decision to detain Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA) and move him to Jodhpur," the statement concluded.
Sonam Wangchuk once a darling of the Indian government hailed as a Nationalist has been arrested for waging a peaceful fight for the people of Ladakh. Really wish Ladakhis had realised BJPs plans to disempower wouldn’t stop with Kashmir. If only instead of celebrating the black…
— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) September 26, 2025
Cong, PDP condemn Wangchuk's arrest
Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir criticized the arrest of Sonam Wangchuk. Congress and People's Democratic Party (PDP) leaders called the move unnecessary and counterproductive to peace in the region.
Congress leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir, said that Wangchuk's detention would only deepen tensions rather than resolve them. He urged the government to engage with Ladakhis, whom he described as "peace-loving," instead of resorting to punitive measures.
"The arrest of Sonam Wangchuk was unnecessary and sends a negative message. The government should engage with the people of Ladakh instead of detaining their representatives," Mir said.
PDP leader Iltija Mufti, in a post on X, described Wangchuk's detention as "a blow to peaceful struggle" and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of seeking to disempower regions that demand constitutional safeguards. She said the arrest of a globally recognised figure in education and environmental conservation undermines peaceful activism.
"Sonam Wangchuk, once a darling of the Indian government, hailed as a nationalist, has been arrested for waging a peaceful fight for the people of Ladakh. Really wish Ladakhis had realised BJP's plans to disempower wouldn't stop with Kashmir," Iltija wrote.
