National Desk / Leh , Ladakh
26 September
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Journalist And Research Analysist
In Ladakh’s Leh district, environmental activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested two days after violent protests led to the death of four demonstrators. The confirmation of his arrest came from Chering Dorjay Lakrook, a member of the Leh Apex Body (LAB). He called the arrest unfortunate. Wangchuk was taken into custody on Friday afternoon in Leh, just before LAB representatives were scheduled to hold a press conference. The group has been demanding inclusion under the Sixth Schedule and statehood for nearly four years.
Since early morning, there were speculations that Wangchuk might be arrested. The unrest began on Wednesday when a group of young protesters set fire to the BJP office and the Hill Council building in Leh. The situation quickly escalated, leading police to open fire on demonstrators. The violence left four people dead and nearly sixty injured.
Wangchuk had been on a 35-day hunger strike in support of Ladakh’s demands. However, he ended the fast soon after violence broke out in the city. Police have not yet made an official statement on the arrest or the chain of events, but tensions in the region remain high as locals continue to demand constitutional safeguards.