Ladakh activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk’s arrest continues to spark outrage, with his wife Gitanjali Angmo writing to President Droupadi Murmu, seeking his “unconditional release” and describing the detention as a “witch hunt.”
In her letter, also marked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Angmo appealed to the President’s tribal background to understand the sentiments of the Ladakhi people and the causes her husband has championed — from climate change and sustainable development to the Sixth Schedule protections and statehood demand for Ladakh.
I have sent this representation for the immediate release of Shri Sonam Wangchuk to the President of India, Prime Minister of India, Home Minister, Law Minister of India, and the LG of Ladakh, with a cc to DC Leh. pic.twitter.com/6Y0xa46sNK
— Gitanjali J Angmo (@GitanjaliAngmo) October 1, 2025
Arrest Under NSA, Shift to Jodhpur Jail
Sonam Wangchuk was arrested in Leh last week following violent protests over Ladakh’s demand for statehood and constitutional safeguards. He was booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) and transferred to Jodhpur Central Jail.
Angmo said Leh police informed her that Wangchuk was detained under Section 3(2) of the NSA and shifted to Rajasthan. However, she added that despite assurances, she has not been allowed to speak with her husband since the detention.
She further alleged that she herself has been placed under CRPF surveillance at her institute — the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives (HIAL) — and claimed that two members of her staff were taken into custody “without any legal authority.”
“A Peaceful Gandhian Protester, Not a Threat”
In her letter, Angmo described Wangchuk as a “peaceful Gandhian protester with an impeccable track record of service to the nation.”
“A full-scale witch hunt has been unleashed for the past one month in particular, and for the past four years covertly, to kill the spirit of my husband and all the causes he stands for,” Angmo wrote.
She questioned whether speaking about melting glaciers, educational reforms, grassroots innovation, and rights of backward tribal communities could be considered a threat to national security.
Angmo also highlighted Wangchuk’s contributions to the Indian Army, including building shelters in Ladakh’s extreme climate, and warned that treating “a son of the soil” in this manner was not just unjust, but also a strategic error.
Constitutional Rights Violated, Angmo Claims
Calling the government’s actions “deplorable”, Angmo accused authorities of violating Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution, which guarantee every citizen the right to legal representation.
She said Wangchuk was not even allowed to take his clothes or medicines when he was detained, despite having recently completed a 15-day fast in September 2025 that left him physically weak.
“Your Excellency, we appeal to your wisdom and good sense as the head of the state to intervene and inject a voice of sanity in an otherwise chaotic state of affairs,” Angmo urged President Murmu.
Political Voices and Public Outcry
Meanwhile, CPI-M MP Amra Ram said he was denied permission to meet Wangchuk at Jodhpur Central Jail, despite repeated requests. He urged the government to clarify under what conditions political representatives or family members could meet the activist.
Angmo added that people across India have been reaching out in solidarity, expressing shock at the Centre’s treatment of a man widely celebrated for his innovations in education, environmental activism, and grassroots reforms.