Sonam Wangchuk, renowned climate activist and educationist, remains in Jodhpur jail after NSA detention; wife demands urgent government intervention.
BY PC Bureau
October 1, 2025 – In an urgent plea, Dr. Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of renowned climate activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk, has urged President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Brig. (Retd.) BD Mishra for the release of her husband and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk.
The letter demands the “immediate release” of Wangchuk, detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, 2025, and swiftly shifted to Jodhpur Central Jail in Rajasthan.
Angmo alleges a “witch hunt” against a peaceful Gandhian protester whose only “crime” is advocating for Ladakh’s ecological and democratic future.
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The appeal follows escalating tensions in Ladakh, where Wangchuk’s arrest—just two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule protections left four dead—has ignited nationwide outrage. From Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to Leh’s snow-capped streets, supporters decry the move as a blatant assault on dissent. Amid curfews in Leh and ongoing internet blackouts, Angmo’s letter blends personal anguish with a fierce defense of her husband’s legacy.
READ:
#BREAKING: Activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife Gitanjali Angmo has sent a representation for the immediate release of her husband Sonam Wangchuk to the President of India, Prime Minister of India, Law Minister of India and the LG of Ladakh with a cc to DC Leh. Wangchuk was arrested on… pic.twitter.com/yc5Ec3XvI6
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) October 1, 2025
A Sudden Arrest Shrouded in Secrecy
On September 26, a police contingent led by Ladakh DGP S.D. Singh Jamwal detained 59-year-old Wangchuk at his Leh residence. No FIR was filed; authorities invoked Section 3(2) of the NSA, 1980—a law notorious for indefinite preventive detention without trial. Wangchuk was airlifted to Jodhpur that evening, with only a terse SMS alerting Angmo:
“Shri Sonam Wangchuk S/o Sonam Wangail R/o Ullay Topko has been detained under Section 3(2) of the NSA, 1980. Shifted to Central Jail Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Our officer will contact you soon.”
As of October 1, Angmo reports no follow-up call, no opportunity to speak with her husband, and no access to the formal detention order—a procedural lapse she brands “illegal and inhumane.”
Personal Toll: Isolation, Surveillance, and Health Fears
Angmo, former corporate professional turned co-founder and CEO of the Himalayan Institute of Alternative Learning (HIAL) in Phyang, was managing the institute when the news broke. HIAL, dedicated to postgraduate education and mountain sustainability research, embodies Wangchuk’s vision of empowering Ladakh’s youth through eco-conscious innovation.
The detention has taken a severe personal toll. Wangchuk, weakened by a 15-day hunger strike in September, was reportedly denied basic necessities. Angmo writes: “While detaining him, Shri Wangchuk was not even allowed to change clothes… I am not aware whether he has been given fresh clothes and medicines.”
She also alleges pervasive surveillance and harassment: CRPF personnel monitored the institute, staff were detained, and security guards demanded detailed personal information of students and teachers—a move Angmo calls overreach and a threat to Ladakh’s youth.
Defending a Lifetime of Service
Angmo portrays Wangchuk as a “peaceful Gandhian protester” and a tireless advocate for Ladakh’s development. Founder of SECMOL in 1988, he received the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2018) for sustainable solutions and global acclaim for ice stupa technology.
Since 2021, Wangchuk has led the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) in pushing for full statehood and Sixth Schedule protections for Ladakh. The September 24 bandh turned chaotic, leaving four dead and over 70 injured, prompting authorities to cite Wangchuk’s “provocative speeches” as grounds for detention. Angmo refutes this, emphasizing:
“Is it a crime to speak about climate change, melting glaciers, educational reforms, and grassroots innovation? To raise one’s voice for upliftment of a backward tribal belt in a peaceful Gandhian manner cannot be termed a threat to national security.”
She underscores Wangchuk’s tangible contributions, including building shelters for Indian Army personnel, fostering solidarity in a strategic border region, and advocating ecological safeguards against unchecked development.
A National Outcry
The arrest has sparked nationwide protests. Candlelight vigils at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, condemnation from K.T. Rama Rao, Mehbooba Mufti, Rahul Gandhi, and CPI(ML) leaders, and local shutdowns in Kargil highlight widespread concern. SECMOL’s FCRA license revocation adds to fears of retaliation. Angmo vows resilience: “The people of this country are reaching out in solidarity… shocked by the Government action against a peaceful Gandhian protester with an impeccable track record.”
Wangchuk’s detention underscores Ladakh’s deepening rift with the Centre. Analysts warn of a “strategic blunder”: suppressing voices like Wangchuk’s risks eroding the solidarity needed to secure borders. Angmo concludes:
“My husband has always stood for the solidarity of India and the integration of its peripheral regions through a strong democratic mechanism—Statehood/UT with legislation and 6th Schedule.”
