Sonam Wangchuk's wife appeals to president, PM, home minister for his release

A day after rejecting the allegations of the authorities, Dr. Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, on Wednesday appealed to the President, Prime Minister, and Union Home Minister for her husband's release.

In a letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Dr. Gitanjali Angmo wrote that her husband, Sonam Wangchuk, has always stood for India's unity, the strengthening of its borders, and the integration of peripheral regions through a robust democratic mechanism.

"I have sent this representation for the immediate release of Sonam Wangchuk to the President of India, the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, the Law Minister of India, and the LG of Ladakh, with a copy to the DC of Leh," Gitanjali posted on her social media handle late Wednesday evening.

She recounted that on 26th September 2025, while she was at the Institute handling daily matters, she received a call at about 4 pm from Inspector Rigzin Gurmet, SHO of Leh, informing her that her husband had been detained under Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980 (NSA).

"The SHO further informed me that Sonam Wangchuk was being shifted to Central Jail, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, along with ASP Rishabh Shukla, and assured me that after reaching Jodhpur, he would call and allow me to speak with my husband. He also said that it was not an arrest since no FIR had been filed, but a detention under the NSA," she wrote.

However, Dr. Angmo said that five days have passed, yet the officer has neither called nor allowed her to speak with her husband. "I am completely unaware of my husband's condition. I was also told the officer would explain my legal rights, but even that has not been done till today. I am shocked and devastated. I was put under CRPF surveillance in Village Phyang, where our Institute is situated," she said.

She further alleged that students and staff of the Institute were placed under strict surveillance, with two members taken into custody in the past three days—"presumably without any legal authority." Even the media, she added, was not allowed inside the campus to prevent the truth from reaching the public.

"While detaining him, Wangchuk was not even allowed to take his clothes. I do not know whether he has been given fresh clothes and basic amenities, including the medicines he needs daily, especially after his 15-day fast in September 2025, which left him physically weak," she stated.

"Witch-hunt unleashed to kill my husband's spirit"

Dr. Angmo alleged that a full-scale witch-hunt has been unleashed over the past month, and covertly for the last four years, to "kill the spirit of my husband and all the causes he stands for."

"Is it a crime to speak about climate change, melting glaciers, educational reforms, and grassroots innovation? To raise one's voice for the upliftment of a backward tribal belt that is ecologically fragile, in a peaceful Gandhian manner for four years?" she asked, stressing that such actions cannot be termed as a threat to national security.

She said people across the country have expressed shock and solidarity over the government's action against a peaceful Gandhian protester with an impeccable record of service to the nation.

"My husband always stood for strengthening India's borders"

Dr. Angmo said that Ladakh has always been known for its nationalism and its support to the Indian Army. "The Ladakh Scouts are the biggest support system of the Indian Army in this region, no less than the great Gurkhas known for their valour and bravery," she said, adding, "Sonam Wangchuk has built shelters for the Army to ensure that its officers and jawans can sleep warm and fight effectively."

"To treat the son of Ladakh so shabbily is not just a sin but also a strategic blunder, especially when building strong borders requires solidarity and peaceful coexistence. My husband Sonam Wangchuk has always stood for India's unity, the strengthening of its borders, and the democratic integration of peripheral regions through Statehood/UT status with legislation and the Sixth Schedule," she wrote.

She further asked, "Is it a sin to fight against reckless and unchecked development activities in an ecologically fragile Ladakh? Has this country not learnt lessons from the experiences of Uttarakhand, Himachal, and the North East?"

Addressing President Murmu, she wrote: "You, being from a tribal background, would understand the feelings of the people of Leh-Ladakh better than anyone else."

She added: "Apart from the illegal detention of my husband, the manner in which the State and its agencies are hounding us and keeping us under surveillance is deplorable. It violates the spirit and ethos of the Constitution of India, including Articles 21 and 22, which guarantee every citizen the right to legal representation. Shockingly, even this basic right has been denied to us."

Dr. Angmo concluded by writing: "Your Excellency, we appeal to your wisdom and good sense as the Head of State to intervene and bring sanity to this chaotic situation. As the President of India, you embody the principles of equity, justice, and conscience. We request the unconditional release of Sonam Wangchuk, a man who can never be a threat to anyone, let alone his Nation. He has dedicated his life to serving the brave sons of Ladakh and stands in solidarity with the Indian Army in defence of our great nation."