Activist Sonam Wangchuk arrested after violent protest over Ladakh statehood leaves four dead

Wangchuk has been accused of inciting violence through provocative statements. He earlier said he did not fear arrest for the cause he was fighting.

“It is as sad as the incident itself, the way they are dealing with the issue in a childish way,” Wangchuk told The Hindu, adding that authorities were trying to make him a “scapegoat.”

“This is not the way to heal a wound. It will further aggravate the situation, it will further anger the youth. After doing all this to us—for six years of joblessness, of unmet promises—they are now just blaming me for everything,” he said.

The protest was led by Wangchuk along with the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance. The groups are demanding full statehood for the Union Territory and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Wangchuk had launched a hunger strike on September 10 to press for the demands. He ended the fast on September 24, citing concerns over rising violence.