Ladakh Activist Sonam Wangchuk Arrested After Deadly Protests

Indian police have arrested prominent Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, days after violent demonstrations demanding statehood left four people dead and dozens injured.

Officials confirmed Wangchuk was detained on Friday in Leh, shortly before he was due to address a press briefing. His arrest comes after the Ministry of Home Affairs accused him of inciting unrest and revoked the licence of his NGO, the Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL).

Deadly protests in Leh

On Wednesday, the Himalayan territory’s capital, Leh, witnessed some of the bloodiest protests in recent years, led largely by Gen Z demonstrators. Protesters torched the local office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and set police vehicles ablaze.

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Police said they responded with live fire, claiming it was in self-defence. At least four protesters were killed and dozens injured, according to protest organisers. A curfew was imposed in several districts, while mobile internet services were shut down to contain the unrest.

Roots of the unrest

Ladakh, home to both Buddhist and Muslim communities, has faced uncertainty since 2019, when the government revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status and placed Ladakh under direct federal control.

For the past six years, thousands of residents have organised peaceful marches and hunger strikes, demanding statehood, constitutional safeguards for Indigenous communities, and guaranteed job reservations for locals.

Talks between Ladakhi representatives and the central government have been ongoing since last year, with the next round scheduled for October 6. Wangchuk, who recently ended a 14-day hunger strike, denied provoking violence and said the clashes reflected local frustration with New Delhi.

Security remains tight in Leh and Kargil, with additional deployment of armed forces. Authorities said they are monitoring the situation closely as negotiations with Ladakhi leaders continue.