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Ladakh Activist Wangchuk Arrested: Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has reportedly been detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), according to a PTI report citing sources within the Ladakh administration. However, there is no official confirmation yet from the authorities regarding the charges against him. His arrest comes day after he called the home ministry's charge that he instigated the recent violent protests in Ladakh a "scapegoat tactic" intended to avoid dealing with the Himalayan region's core problems.

Police on Friday arrested climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, two days after protests demanding Ladakh's statehood and Sixth Schedule status left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory.

Wangchuk, who has been at the forefront of peaceful agitation demanding statehood and constitutional safeguards for Ladakh, also raised concerns about his personal safety following his detention.

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While there was no official word on the charges pressed against Wangchuk, PTI quoted sources within the Ladakh administration indicated that the stringent National Security Act (NSA) has been invoked against the climate activist.

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Ladakh Activist Wangchuk Arrested: Key Updates

- Wangchuk was taken into custody by a police party led by Ladakh Police chief S D Singh Jamwal at 2:30 pm, the officials said, adding that he has been shifted out of Ladakh.

- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the arrest of climate activist Soman Wangchuk was unfortunate, and accused the BJP-led NDA government of backtracking on its promises.

"This (Wangchuk' arrest) is unfortunate. The way the Central government was after him since yesterday, it seemed they would do something like this," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of the third Junior Asian Pencak Silat championship here.

- "He was treated like a criminal without any reason," was an angry outburst from Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was arrested from his village Ulyaktopo two days after violent protests in Leh over demands for statehood and constitutional safeguards, leaving four people dead and 59 others injured.

- Angmo slammed the ruling BJP at the Centre, saying "please tell them not to call themselves Hindu... because the basis of Hinduism is all truth". Identifying herself as a practising Hindu, Wangchuk's wife questioned the BJP's principles, saying, "They are not Hindus in any way. The BJP is not Hindu because its foundation is falsehood."

- The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday criticised the BJP-led central government over the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk by the Ladakh Police, calling it an attack on democracy and people's rights.

- Wangchuk was taken into custody on Friday, two days after violent protests in Ladakh over demands for statehood and extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The clashes had left four people dead and several injured. There was no immediate response from the BJP over the allegations.

- AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal said that the country was passing through a difficult phase.

- Following the recent protests in Leh and the cancellation of Sonam Wangchuk’s organisation’s FCRA license amid investigations into its foreign funding, AAP Convenor Arvind Kejriwal has expressed strong support for Wangchuk. Kejriwal condemned the BJP government for suppressing voices that seek positive change, accusing it of using petty politics to weaken democracy.

- Internet services have been suspended in Leh following the arrest of an activist, Sonam Wangchuk, on Friday. This internet shutdown comes two days after violent clashes erupted between police and protestors who are demanding statehood for Ladakh. 

- Reacting to the MHA's statement, which had blamed him for provoking the mob violence, the environment activist said he was prepared to be arrested under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).

- Wangchuk, a leading voice for the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been spearheading the five-year-long agitation for statehood and constitutional safeguards for the residents of Leh and Kargil, which form part of the Ladakh Union Territory carved out from erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

- The arrest came a day after the Union home ministry cancelled the FCRA licence of the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), an organisation founded by Wangchuk, citing alleged financial discrepancies and a fund transfer deemed to be against "national interest". 


( With PTI Inputs )