Sonam Wangchuk's wife Geetanjali meets him in Jodhpur jail: ‘His spirit is undaunted’

Geetanjali Angmo said on Wednesday she had visited her husband, Sonam Wangchuk, in Jodhpur jail, where he has been lodged in the wake of the September 24 Leh violence.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Angmo said she met the climate activist along with lawyer Ritam Khare. She said, “His spirit is undaunted. His commitment resolute! His resilience intact! He conveys heartfelt thanks to all for their support and solidarity.”

Geetanjali Angmo said Wangchuk's legal team has obtained the detention order, which will be challenged in court.

The document lists the allegations against Wangchuk and the reasons for the invocation of the National Security Act (NSA) against him.

On Saturday, Wangchuk's brother, Tsetan Dorje, also visited him in jail with lawyer Mustafa Haji.

After the visit, Haji on X said Wangchuk has demanded an independent judicial inquiry into the killing of four people during last month's protest.

He wrote that Wangchuk said that he is willing to remain in jail until such an inquiry is conducted.

Angmo has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking her husband's release. A hearing on the petition is scheduled for October 14.

Sonam Wangchuk jailed

Activist Sonam Wangchuk was arrested after four people were killed and at least 80 were injured in the violent protest that engulfed Ladakh on September 24.

The Ladakh administration indicated that the stringent National Security Act (NSA) was invoked against Sonam Wangchuk.

After his detention, he was taken to Delhi, from where he was shifted to Jodhpur Central Jail on September 26.

“Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk arrested by Ladakh police team led by DGP S D Singh Jamwal,” officials told news agency PTI on Friday.

Ladakh violence

The statehood for Ladakh movement, led by Wangchuk, ended in violence, arson and street clashes in Leh on Wednesday (September 24).

The demonstration demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion of the Union Territory under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution had reportedly targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) office in Leh.

Prohibitions under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, continued to be imposed in Leh on Friday (September 26) with a ban on the assembly of five or more persons in the district.

The Apex Body Leh, which is leading the agitation for statehood for Ladakh, said on Friday that their protest is peaceful and that the violence on September 24 was triggered when a section of the youth got out of control.