Gitanjali J. Angmo, the wife of renowned Ladakhi climate activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk, has approached the Supreme Court seeking his immediate release, days after his arrest under the National Security Act (NSA). It has been more than a week, and she has not been allowed to talk to him yet.
In her habeas corpus petition filed on October 3, Angmo contended that Wangchuk’s detention is unlawful, arbitrary, and in violation of constitutional rights. She stated that neither she nor Wangchuk’s legal counsel has been served a copy of the detention order, nor have they been allowed to meet or speak with him since his arrest on September 26.
Wangchuk was detained following a protest in Leh, part of a wider movement demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to protect the region’s tribal identity, land rights, and ecological balance. The demonstration turned violent on September 24, resulting in four deaths and over 30 injuries.
Angmo’s petition alleges that Wangchuk has been held in Jodhpur Central Jail, Rajasthan, without proper medical care, legal access, or basic personal items. She has requested the court to direct the government to produce him before the court, provide grounds for his detention, and allow family and legal communication.
The petition names the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ladakh UT administration, the Deputy Commissioner of Leh, and the Superintendent of Jodhpur Central Jail as respondents. It also alleges that authorities have placed Angmo under surveillance and subjected staff and students of Wangchuk’s institute, HIAL (Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh), to harassment and questioning.
Angmo argues the arrest is politically motivated and aimed at silencing peaceful dissent. “Sonam Wangchuk has been targeted for his environmental activism and advocacy for Ladakh’s constitutional rights,” the petition claims.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the matter in the coming days.
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