The investigation into Ladakh statehood activist Sonam Wangchuk, arrested for allegedly inciting violence that left four protesters dead, has now taken a Pakistan angle.
Addressing the media in Leh, Ladakh Director General of Police (DGP) SD Singh Jamwal raised questions over Wangchuk’s past visits to Pakistan and Bangladesh. He said the activist had attended an event hosted by Dawn in Pakistan and accused him of trying to derail ongoing talks between Ladakh groups and the Centre on the statehood issue.
The police chief also revealed that a Pakistan Intelligence Operative (PIO), recently arrested in connection with the case, had been in touch with Wangchuk.
“We also arrested a Pakistan PIO in the recent past who was in contact with him and was reporting back across the border. We have records to prove this. He (Wangchuk) attended a Dawn event in Pakistan and also visited Bangladesh. There is a big question mark on him,” DGP Jamwal was quoted by NDTV as saying.
The police official later added that the PIO was already under surveillance and found to be sending sensitive information abroad.
Wangchuk has been booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA), which allows long preventive detention without bail. Sources suggest he has been moved to a high-security facility in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. In the aftermath of the September 24 violence in Leh, authorities imposed a curfew and suspended internet services to prevent misinformation and unrest.
The DGP announced that the curfew will now be eased in phases. “We have decided to relax restrictions from 1 pm to 3 pm in the Old City, and from 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm in the newer parts,” he said.
Explaining the charges, Jamwal accused Wangchuk of instigating the September 24 clashes in Leh. “Sonam Wangchuk has had a history of incitement. He has drawn references from the Arab Spring, Nepal, and Bangladesh in the past,” he said. He further alleged that Wangchuk and some other “so-called environmental activists” attempted to hijack the statehood platform, undermining genuine negotiations with the Centre.
“This is not the first time. He has previously made such provocative statements and tried to derail the process,” Jamwal added.