Activist Sonam Wangchuk Arrested Under NSA, Likely To Be Shifted Out Of Leh Amid Ladakh Unrest

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has been arrested by the police under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) amid the unrest in Leh, Ladakh. Wangchuk was taken into custody by the police party led by Ladakh DGP

S D Singh Jamwal at 2.30 PM on Friday. He is likely to be shifted out of Leh. The Centre believes that his commentary and provocative statements may have incited the violence in the union territory that left 4 dead. Wangchuk is also under the radar of the investigative agencies after several alleged discrepancies were detected in the accounts of his organisations and NGOs."In spite of many leaders urging him to call off the hunger strike, he continued with the hunger strike and misled the people through provocative mention of Arab Spring-style protests and references to Gen-Z protests in Nepal," MHA said in a statement issued Thursday."Incidentally, amidst these violent developments, he broke his fast and left for his village in an ambulance without making serious efforts to control the situation," the MHA maintained.Wangchuk, who was leading a hunger strike in support of the demands, however, denied the charges. He denounced the violence and also ended the fortnight-long fast following the violence on Wednesday.Also Read: Arab Spring in Leh? Sonam Wangchuk Confronted as MHA Links Him to Ladakh Violence | WATCH

Sonam Wangchuk's organisations also under scanner

The Union Home Ministry had also cancelled the FCRA licence of Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), founded by Wangchuk with "immediate effect" on Thursday. The ministry said that certain transactions like the fund transfer from Sweden to the accounts of the organisation was against "national interest".The climate activist has accused the Centre of a "witch-hunt". Wangchuk claimed that his NGO did not receive foreign funding and questioned the timing of the investigation, which comes amid protests in Ladakh. The CBI has said that the preliminary inquiry was initiated two months ago.Also Read: Sonam Wangchuk Cries 'Witch-Hunt' As CBI Probes FCRA Violations In His NGO Meanwhile, a fresh round of talks is scheduled between the Centre and Ladakh representatives, comprising members of the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance, on October 6. So far, four people have died and 50 have been injured in the protests in Ladakh.