Sonam Wangchuk, arrested under NSA, says he will remain in jail until inquiry into killings of four people in Leh

Days after his arrest, innovator, education reformer, and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk was allowed to meet his elder brother and lawyer at Jodhpur Central Jail on Saturday.

Lawyer Mustafa Haji shared on social media that he and Wangchuk’s elder brother, Tsetan Dorje Ley, were granted special permission to meet the activist, who has been in detention since late September.

In a message to the people of Ladakh, shared by Haji, Wangchuk expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers for the injured and arrested. He called for an independent judicial inquiry into the killings of four people and stated he was willing to remain in jail until such an investigation is conducted.

“I am doing well, both physically and mentally, and thank everyone for their concern and prayers,” Wangchuk said. He reaffirmed his support for the Apex Body, the KDA, and the people of Ladakh in their demand for the Sixth Schedule and full statehood. He urged citizens to continue their struggle peacefully and in a truly Gandhian way.

Wangchuk was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) on September 24 in connection with the Leh unrest while leading a movement for full statehood for Ladakh. On September 26, he was transferred to Jodhpur Central Jail, 1,500 km away, and was not allowed to meet anyone until this visit.