The Supreme Court on Monday (October 6) took up a petition filed by Gitanjali Angmo, the wife of jailed activist Sonam Wangchuk, challenging her husband’s arrest under the National Security Act (NSA). The Bench, headed by Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria, issued notices to the Union Government, the Ladakh administration, and Jodhpur jail.

In her petition, Angmo said that Wangchuk’s location is unknown even a week after his arrest. She also said that no formal arrest papers have been served to the family. Angmo added that authorities have not provided any information about her husband’s condition, and she has not been allowed to meet him.

The petition describes Wangchuk’s arrest as “illegal and unconstitutional” and demands his immediate release.
The arrest comes after violent protests erupted in Leh, Ladakh, in late September. At least four people were killed, and more than 70 others were injured during clashes between protesters and police.

The protests began on September 15 as a 15-day hunger strike and later turned into a massive shutdown on September 23-24. People blocked major roads, clashed with police, pelted stones at security personnel, and even set fire to the BJP headquarters.

Sonam Wangchuk, a climate activist who played a key role in organising the protests, eventually called off the hunger strike and urged protesters to stop the violence. In response to the unrest, the Ladakh administration imposed curfew under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

The order banned protests and gatherings in Leh and prohibited assemblies of five or more people, as well as any procession, rally, or march without prior written approval. The Supreme Court’s notice to the authorities is seen as an important step in addressing concerns over Wangchuk’s arrest and the lack of transparency regarding his detention. Meanwhile, the situation in Leh remains tense, with authorities enforcing strict restrictions to maintain law and order.