Jodhpur: On Friday, a three-member advisory board appointed by the Leh administration conducted a hearing at Jodhpur Central Jail for Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent Ladakhi education reformer and climate activist. Wangchuk is currently being held under the National Security Act (NSA).
During the nearly three-hour session, Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J. Angmo, presented their case to the board, which included its chairman and two other members. The board was chaired by former justice M.K. Hanjura, with members Principal District and Sessions Judge of Leh, Manoj Parihar, and Principal District and Sessions Judge of Kargil, Spalzes Angmo, also in attendance.
As of Friday evening, no official details regarding the proceedings of the hearing had been released.
The previous day, Gitanjali shared on X that the advisory board members were Justice M.K. Hanjura (Retd.), Judge of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh, as Chairman, along with Manoj Parihar and Spalzes Angmo. She stated her intention to attend as Wangchuk’s ‘friend,’ as permitted by law, expressing full trust in the board to uphold truth and justice.
Gitanjali had previously raised accusations of stalking and privacy violations by authorities, citing surveillance during her jail visits, including the recording of conversations by police officials.
Wangchuk, a Ramon Magsaysay awardee recognized for his contributions to sustainable education and environmental innovation, was detained on September 26. His detention under the NSA followed protests in Leh that turned violent, resulting in fatalities and injuries. Authorities cited his speeches, which included references to “self-immolation” as a form of protest, as a threat to public order.
Angmo’s petition to the Supreme Court has described the detention as “illegal,” alleging a “systematic and false campaign” against her husband’s peaceful, Gandhian movement aimed at protecting Ladakh’s environment. The petition argues that labeling environmental activism as “anti-national” sets a concerning precedent, emphasizing Wangchuk’s work in promoting national unity and supporting the Indian Army through innovations like high-altitude shelters.
Wangchuk, who is currently on a hunger strike, has declared his readiness to remain in jail until an independent judicial inquiry is conducted into the violence that occurred during the Leh protest. In a letter shared from Jodhpur jail on October 5, he encouraged the people of Ladakh to continue their movement peacefully, adhering to Gandhian principles of non-violence.