Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, has approached the Supreme Court seeking his immediate release, challenging his detention under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
Wangchuk was detained on September 26, just two days after large-scale protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh turned violent, leaving four people dead and around 90 injured. He is currently lodged in Jodhpur jail, Rajasthan.
The plea, filed through advocate Sarvam Ritam Khare, not only contests the grounds of detention but also questions the decision to invoke the NSA against Wangchuk. Angmo alleged she has not received a copy of the detention order, terming it a violation of rules, and added that she has had no contact with her husband since his detention.
The Ladakh administration has meanwhile rejected allegations of a “witch-hunt” or a “smokescreen” operation against the activist, maintaining that due process has been followed.
