Sonam Wangchuk walks free as Govt revokes detention
Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, detained under the National Security Act was released from prison on Saturday after the Union Government revoked his detention with immediate effect. The Centre said it has revoked with immediate effect the detention of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act, nearly six months after he was arrested following violent protests in Leh that left four dead.
The decision, which the Centre said was to foster peace in Ladakh, comes days after the Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned to March 17 the hearing on a plea filed by the activist’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging his detention.
Wangchuk was detained on September 26, 2025, two days after the protests over demands for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution rocked Leh.
Ladakh Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Saturday welcomed the Central Government’s decision to revoke the detention of Wangchuk. On the other hand, leaders from Ladakh also welcomed Wangchuk’s release from Jodhpur jail and demanded the release of the remaining detainees.
However, sounding a word of caution, Saxena said there is “no space for agitation” and violence in the Union territory, and all issues pertaining to the aspirations and concerns of people would be addressed through dialogue with stakeholders.
The Leh Apex Body (LAB) described the decision of his release as a “big victory” for the people of Ladakh, saying it vindicated their stand on his innocence and removed the “anti-national” blot on the region. The LAB and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) are spearheading the agitation in Ladakh in support of their Statehood and Sixth Schedule demands and are engaged in high-level talks with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
In a February 4 meeting of the High-Powered Committee chaired by Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, two prominent groups from Ladakh — LAB and KDA — demanded the release of Wangchuk, besides asserting other.
In Leh, Ladakh MP Mohamad Hanifa hailed Wangchuk’s release and urged the government to accept their demands for statehood and protection under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
“We welcome the release of Sonam Wangchuk. But others also need to be released, and the Government should also take back the cases filed against people who participated in the protests,” Hanifa said.
Hanifa, however, said protest is a Constitutional right, and urged the Government to resolve the issue through dialogue.
LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjey said the Government “saved its face” by revoking Wangchuk’s detention ahead of the Supreme Court hearing later this month, asserting that the peaceful struggle for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution will continue.
Kargil-based politician and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) member Sajjad Kargili, in a post on X, demanded the immediate release of Deldan Namgial and Smanla Dorjey, and appealed to the Government to drop all charges against other detainees unconditionally.
“The revocation of the NSA against Shri Sonam Wangchuk is a welcome move. However, the struggle for our legitimate rights continues,” he said.
“This is not just about Wangchuk but about the whole of Ladakh. We had maintained from the start that the allegations against him, including the anti-national charge, were baseless. Today, Ladakh stands vindicated. We welcome the decision, and it will give fresh momentum to our movement,” Dorjey told reporters.
Calling the development a major relief, he said the people of Ladakh felt hurt by the anti-national allegations made against them. “We are among the most nationalist people in the country, yet we were branded anti-national for the first time. It was a serious blot on Ladakh… We believe the case was withdrawn before the March 17 hearing as the same outcome was expected from the Supreme Court,” the LAB leader said.
Dorjey said their main demands remained unchanged and the struggle would continue, asserting that the group will take a call on the proposed protest rally in both Leh and Kargil on March 16 in the wake of an appeal by Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra.
