Sonam Wangchuk Arrested After Deadly Ladakh Clashes; Internet Snapped In Leh

Ladakh statehood activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken into custody on Thursday, two days after violent clashes in the region left four people dead and more than 50, including security personnel, injured, reported NDTV.

The arrest comes amid allegations that Mr Wangchuk incited a mob with provocative statements. He had previously said he would be “happy to be arrested anytime for this cause".

Authorities also suspended internet services in Leh following the unrest, as tensions escalated in the region.

Four people died and at least 80 others suffered injuries in the clashes on Wednesday. Headquarters of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was also set ablaze.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) revoked the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) registration of Wangchuk’s non-profit, the Students Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), barring it from receiving foreign funds.

Speaking to NDTV, Wangchuk rejected all charges, saying SECMOL does not accept foreign contributions but has conducted business with the UN, and organisations in Switzerland and Italy, paying all applicable taxes. “They mistook it as foreign contributions. I consider it a mistake on their part. But that’s what was thought of as a foreign contribution. It is not,” he told NDTV’s Padmaja Joshi.

The unrest highlights rising tensions in Ladakh over demands for statehood. The region, which largely supported becoming a Union Territory in 2019 after the revocation of Article 370, has seen a shift in public sentiment, prompting speculation about the role of foreign actors and local vested interests, NTDV reported.

(With inputs from NDTV)