Centre calls Wangchuk chief provocateur of Leh violence
After his detention, agitation subsided and violence stopped, proving the detention order justified, Centre told the Supreme Court.
Sonam Wangchuk’s Jail Fight: Centre Labels Him Violence Kingpin, SC Weighs In
Imagine the thin, crisp air of Leh on September 24, 2025—a powder keg of frustration. Ladakhis, raw from broken promises of statehood, Sixth Schedule protections, and jobs after 2019’s J&K bifurcation, spill into streets. What starts as a hunger strike led by climate hero Sonam Wangchuk erupts: 5,000-6,000 youth clash with forces, torch BJP offices, pelt stones. Four lives lost—a retired soldier among them—60 injured, 17 CRPF jawans battered. Wangchuk, the man who inspired “3 Idiots,” condemns it instantly: “Violence kills our five-year tapasya,” he posts, calling it his saddest day.
Cut to February 12, 2026, New Delhi’s Supreme Court. The Centre drops a bombshell on Justices Aravind Kumar and P B Varale: Wangchuk, now languishing in Jodhpur jail under the iron fist of the National Security Act (NSA), was the “chief provocateur.” Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj argues fiercely: “He sparked the violence that killed four, injured 60. Post-detention, agitation fizzled—proving the order’s spot-on.” It’s a narrative flip—from eco-patriot to instigator. “Clear application of mind,” Nataraj insists. “Procedural boxes ticked meticulously. Courts can’t second-guess detaining authority’s suspicion or probability.”
The stakes? NSA’s no-bail beast—up to 12 months detention to shield India’s defense from “prejudicial acts.” Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, filed habeas corpus, pleading illegality. She counters: “Leh’s tragedy isn’t his doing. He condemned violence on social media, said it dooms Ladakh’s peaceful fight.” Her voice cracks the courtroom chill—think a spouse fighting for her husband’s freedom amid smears.
Wednesday’s hearing added layers: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta assured Wangchuk’s “fit, hale, hearty” after 24 medical checks. No health release—grounds persist. Echoes Leh’s fury: Youth, monks, even schoolgirls stormed streets, no party puppetry, just pent-up rage over stalled Delhi talks. Wangchuk’s fast, into day 15, turned tragic when elders collapsed; mobs surged despite pleas.
This tugs heartstrings. Wangchuk, 63, isn’t a firebrand—he’s the engineer who built ice stupas to irrigate deserts, taught kids in SECMOL, won hearts globally. Ladakh’s cries—land rights, eco-safeguards, autonomy—legit after Article 370’s ax. Yet government eyes his speeches as “provocative,” revokes his NGO license. DGP blamed his platform for mob space; Wangchuk calls it spontaneous outburst.
For Ladakhis, it’s personal. High passes, fragile ecology, Buddhist soul—now NSA shadows. Families whisper fears; supporters rally digitally. Angmo’s fight humanizes it: Not just law, but a man’s life, a region’s dream. Centre’s line—”perfect order”—feels ironclad, but Wangchuk’s peace vows linger.
SC posts next hearing February 16—hearts pound. Release him, and Ladakh simmers anew? Hold, and hero narrative grows? Amid Jodhpur bars, Wangchuk pens resilience, perhaps sketching ice dreams. India watches: Patriot or provocateur? Justice, cold as Ladakh winter, must thaw truth.
Butter tea warms, but this chill lingers. Pray for fairness—Ladakh deserves heroes, not handcuffs.