Activist Sonam Wangchuk Arrested Three Days After Leh Violence (Lead)

(MENAFN- IANS) Leh, Sep 26 (IANS) Three days after unruly protests broke out in Leh town of Ladakh UT, police on Friday arrested climate activist Sonam Wangchuk for inciting violence.

The Leh Police have confirmed that Sonam Wangchuk, against whom multiple FIRs were lodged by police for inciting protesters to violence on September 24, was arrested on Friday.

Wangchuk had started a fast on September 10 with others in Leh town demanding inclusion of the region in the 6th schedule, grant of statehood and protection for the fragile ecosystem of the Ladakh region.

Interestingly, Sonam Wangchuk broke his fast on September 24 when massive violence started in the town.

On September 24, the violence broke out in Leh town when unruly mobs resorted to stone pelting at the security forces, torched a CRPF vehicle with the intention to burn alive the CRPF jawans inside the vehicle, torched the BJP office and the office of Leh apex body and smashed the vehicle of the Ladakh DGP.

In self-defence, security forces opened fire on the protesters. Four protesters were killed in this firing incident, and 70 others were injured.

Authorities imposed curfew in Leh town to restore law and order. Curfew was also imposed in Kargil town on Thursday evening, while police detained many protesters.

MHA, in a statement, blamed Sonam Wangchuk for inciting protesters to violence and held him responsible for the disruption of law and order in Leh town.

The MHA also cancelled the FCRA registration certificate of Sonam Wangchuk, founder of the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), for violating the FCRA Act.

Wangchuk, who won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2018, has denied all the allegations against him. He told reporters on Thursday that his non-profit organisation did not take foreign contributions, but has done business transactions with the UN, Swiss and Italian organisations and paid all taxes.

"They mistook it as foreign contributions. I consider it a mistake on their (Centre's) part, and therefore I don't mind it. But that's what was thought of as a foreign contribution. It is not,” he said.

Police have lodged FIRs against some Nepalese citizens and those from Doda town of the Jammu region, who were participating in violence and are now admitted in the hospital for treatment of injuries sustained by them in security force action.

It must be mentioned that when Ladakh was made a union territory in 2019, the Centre's decision was hugely welcomed, and Sonam Wangchuk had been at the forefront of that welcome campaign.

Later, he spearheaded protests and hunger strikes against the Centre to press for inclusion in the 6th schedule, statehood and other demands.

The central government and the UT administration believe that the massive violence in an otherwise highly peaceful border area of Ladakh has not been spontaneous, but had outside instigators to foment trouble in the peaceful region.

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