Indian police have arrested climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act following deadly India Ladakh protests in Leh on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, where four people died and dozens were injured amid demands for statehood and indigenous protections, with authorities accusing him of inciting the violence through provocative speeches.
The India Ladakh protests underscore deepening grievances in a region that borders China and Pakistan, where the 2019 revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status left Ladakh as a union territory without elected legislature. This unrest highlights broader South Asian concerns over centralised control eroding local autonomy, potentially destabilising border security and ethnic harmony in the Himalayas. As India navigates relations with neighbours, suppressing dissent risks alienating indigenous communities and fuelling separatist sentiments across the subcontinent.
Escalation in Leh: From Hunger Strike to Violence
The India Ladakh protests trace back to a hunger strike launched by Sonam Wangchuk on Monday, September 10, 2025, demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to safeguard tribal lands and rights. Wangchuk, founder of the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), had been a key figure in advocating for local job reservations and environmental protections in the ecologically fragile region.
Tensions boiled over on September 24 when a crowd, reportedly instigated by Wangchuk’s speeches, marched from the hunger strike site around 11:30 AM. Protesters targeted a political party office and the Chief Executive Councillor’s (CEC) government office in Leh, setting both ablaze and torching a police vehicle. More than 30 police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel suffered injuries as the mob clashed with security forces. In response, police opened fire in self-defence, resulting in four fatalities and numerous injuries among demonstrators.
By 4:00 PM, authorities had restored order, imposing a curfew across several districts and suspending mobile internet services in Leh to prevent further escalation. Wangchuk ended his fast amid the chaos and departed for his village in an ambulance, without attempting to de-escalate the situation, according to government accounts.
The Ministry of Home Affairs attributed the violence directly to Wangchuk’s rhetoric, claiming he misled crowds with references to the Arab Spring and Nepal’s Gen Z agitations. The Government of India has been actively engaged with the Apex Body Leh and Kargil Democratic Alliance through a High-Powered Committee (HPC), yielding results such as increasing scheduled tribe reservations from 45 per cent to 84 per cent, one-third women’s reservation in councils, and declaring Bhoti and Purgi as official languages, the Press Information Bureau stated in a release on September 24. Recruitment for 1,800 posts has also commenced under these measures.
Activists Arrested: Wangchuk Detained Under NSA
On Friday, September 26, 2025, just before a scheduled news briefing, police detained Wangchuk in Leh. The following day, Saturday, September 27, the Ladakh administration invoked the stringent National Security Act (NSA), transferring him to Jodhpur Central Jail in Rajasthan to avert further disruptions.
Time and again, it has been observed that Wangchuk has been indulging in activities prejudicial to the security of the state and detrimental to maintenance of peace and public order and services essential to the community, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR), Ladakh, declared.
The administration further justified the move, stating, It is important to restore normalcy in the peace-loving Leh town of Ladakh. To ensure this, it is also important to prevent Mr Wangchuk from further acting in a manner prejudicial to maintenance of public order. In this backdrop, the administration, based on specific inputs, took a considered decision to detain him under the National Security Act (NSA) and move him to Jodhpur.
Officials linked Wangchuk’s activists arrested status to his alleged role in the unrest, noting that his NGO’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) licence was revoked on September 25, 2025, prompting a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into violations. At least 50 others were briefly detained post-clashes, though most were released. Wangchuk has denied inciting violence, describing the India Ladakh protests as a reflection of pent-up frustration over unfulfilled promises from New Delhi.
Background
Ladakh’s push for greater autonomy stems from the 2019 reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir, converting the region into a union territory directly administered by the central government. This stripped local legislative powers, exacerbating fears among Buddhist and Muslim communities over land rights and employment amid rapid tourism and mining growth. The India Ladakh protests echo earlier agitations, including a 21-day fast by Wangchuk in 2023, but mark the bloodiest escalation yet, with the four deaths drawing international scrutiny from groups like Human Rights Watch.
Despite progress via the HPC established to address grievances, the alliance of Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance insists on constitutional safeguards to prevent outsider influxes diluting indigenous influence.
Certain politically motivated individuals were not happy with the progress made under HPC and have been trying to sabotage the dialogue process, the Ministry of Home Affairs noted.
What’s Next for the India’s Ladakh Protests
As curfews lift gradually and internet services resume, the focus shifts to dialogue. The next HPC meeting is slated for Monday, October 6, 2025, with interim discussions planned for September 25 and 26, though the latter were overshadowed by violence. The government urges restraint, warning against circulating old provocative videos on social media. Yet, with Wangchuk’s detention under the NSA, questions linger over whether the India Ladakh protests will simmer or reignite, testing New Delhi’s commitment to federalism in this geopolitically sensitive frontier.
In New Delhi, opposition parties held a candlelight vigil on September 26, amplifying calls for Wangchuk’s release and renewed negotiations. The activists arrested in Leh symbolise a broader clampdown, but sustained talks could yet bridge the divide, ensuring Ladakh’s voices shape its future amid the India Ladakh protests.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 27th, 2025
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