Centre Revokes Detention Of Sonam Wangchuk Under National Security Act After Nearly Six Months
The Ministry of Home Affairs today (14 March) revoked the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act with immediate effect, ending nearly six months of custody following violent protests in Ladakh.
The 58-year-old environmental campaigner had been detained on 26 September 2025 and transferred to Jodhpur Central Jail after authorities linked him to unrest in the strategically sensitive border region.
The government stated the decision was taken to foster peace, stability, and mutual trust in Ladakh while facilitating constructive dialogue with stakeholders.
Wangchuk had already served nearly half of the maximum detention period permitted under the Act, which allows preventive custody for up to 12 months.
The ministry emphasised its commitment to engaging with community leaders to address the aspirations and concerns of people in the region.
The detention followed violent clashes in Leh on 24 September 2025 during protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule constitutional protections for Ladakh.
Four people were killed and dozens injured when demonstrations escalated, with protesters torching the local BJP office and clashing with security forces.
Authorities accused Wangchuk of instigating the unrest through speeches referencing protests in Nepal and Bangladesh.
The Supreme Court had been hearing a habeas corpus petition filed by Wangchuk's wife, Dr Gitanjali Angmo, challenging the detention since October 2025.
A SC hearing had been scheduled for 17 March, just three days after the government's decision to revoke the detention order.
The Ladakh protests stem from demands for constitutional safeguards following the region's conversion to a Union Territory without a legislature in 2019.
Over 97 per cent of Ladakh's population belongs to Scheduled Tribes, with demonstrators seeking protection for land rights, employment opportunities, and cultural identity through statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule.
The government has introduced measures including 85 per cent job reservations for locals and recognition of five official languages, but protesters maintain these fall short of their core demands for autonomous governance structures.