 Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 27: Trouble mounted for arrested climate activist Sonam Wangchuk as security agencies have begun probing his alleged links with a Pakistani intelligence operative arrested last month in Ladakh.
Wangchuk, arrested on Friday under the National Security Act (NSA), was shifted to Rajasthan’s Jodhpur Jail, where several separatist leaders were lodged during the late 1990s.
Ladakh Director General of Police (DGP) S.D. Singh Jamwal on Saturday described Wangchuk as the “main conspirator” behind Wednesday’s unprecedented violence in Leh, which left four civilians dead. He said investigators are examining the activist’s possible connections across the border.
“Investigations are at a very initial stage, so I cannot share more details. What I can confirm is that we are probing his links with the arrested Pakistani intelligence operative, who had circulated videos of Wangchuk’s protests across the border,” the DGP told reporters at a press conference.
Defending the decision to move Wangchuk to Jodhpur Jail, Jamwal alleged that the activist had long been attempting to derail talks between Ladakh’s agitating groups and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
“As September 25 and 26 were fixed for preliminary talks ahead of the October 6 dialogue, it appears September 24 was deliberately chosen for protest to create mayhem in Leh,” he said. “Instead of facilitating the dialogue process, Wangchuk instigated people by invoking the Arab Spring and recent unrest in Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka.”
The DGP accused Wangchuk of pursuing his own agenda to hijack the ongoing agitation, thereby creating hurdles in the dialogue process.
Jamwal further informed that three Nepalese citizens sustained bullet injuries during Wednesday’s clashes, and the role of others has also come under scrutiny. He said 50 people have been taken into custody so far, including around a dozen suspected ringleaders.
Justifying police action, the DGP said an uncontrolled mob of nearly 6,000 people attacked and damaged government buildings. Security forces were deployed to protect the Chief Executive Councillor’s (CEC) office in Leh, where a large number of employees were on duty.
“The mob pelted stones heavily and even tried to set the CEC office on fire after torching the BJP office, where four female constables of Ladakh Police were trapped. They were rescued amid intense stone pelting,” he said.
Jamwal added that officers inside the CEC building were also attacked, while several CRPF personnel were beaten up. One officer sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized.
“To prevent the situation from spiraling further, security forces opened fire, resulting in four deaths,” he said. “On the first day, 32 people were severely injured. Later, we found that 70–80 security personnel and an equal number of civilians had been injured. Seven remain critical, and one woman was airlifted to Delhi for treatment.” |
