Ladakh Violence: Sonam Wangchuk demands judicial probe into killing of four in Leh protests, says ‘prepared to stay in…’

New Delhi:Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of four people, including an ex-serviceman, after protests in Leh seeking the restoration of statehood and implementation of the Sixth Schedule turned violent on September 24. Wanagchuk was detained under the National Security Act. “He has also urged Ladakhis to keep peace and unity and continue with their struggle peacefully — in the true Gandhian way of non-violence,” Hindustan Times reported quoting people aware of the details.

In his message, he has said unless an independent probe is ordered, he is “prepared to stay in jail.” Addressing the citizens, Wangchuk said in the letter, “I am doing well, both physically and mentally, and thank everyone for their concern and prayers. My heartfelt condolences to the families of those people who lost their lives, and my prayers are with people who are injured and are arrested.”

Supreme Court to hear Wangchuk’s plea

The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday a plea filed by Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali J Angmo challenging the climate activist’s detention under the National Security Act, and seeking his immediate release.

According to the apex court’s cause list for October 6, the plea would come up for hearing before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria.

Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, two days after protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory. Wangchuk is lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan.

In her plea filed through senior lawyer Vivek Tankha and lawyer Sarvam Ritam Khare, Angmo has also questioned the decision to invoke the NSA against Wangchuk, which allows detention without a trial for up to 12 months.

Filing the habeas corpus (bring the person) writ, the spouse of the detained activist sought urgent listing of the plea and a direction to the Ladakh administration to “produce Sonam Wangchuk before this court forthwith”.

It also sought immediate access to the detenue, and quashing of the preventive detention order.

The plea, which named the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ladakh UT administration, deputy commissioner of Leh, and the Jodhpur jail superintendent as parties, also sought a direction to them to “allow immediate access of the petitioner to her husband, both telephonic and in person”.

The plea alleged that Wangchuk’s detention was “illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional”, violating the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, 21 and 22 of the Constitution.

“Wangchuk, who has been an internationally acclaimed innovator, environmentalist, and social reformer, has always espoused Gandhian and peaceful methods to highlight the ecological and democratic concerns of Ladakh,” it said.