JODHPUR: Prominent Ladakhi climate activist and innovator Sonam Wangchuk was released from Jodhpur Central Jail on Saturday afternoon, bringing an end to nearly six months of preventive detention. His release follows a decision by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to revoke his detention under the National Security Act (NSA) with immediate effect, citing a commitment to fostering “peace and mutual trust” for dialogue in Ladakh.
Writing the final letter to the jail superintendent yesterday seeking permission to meet and inform @Wangchuk66 of his release. While I thank Jodhpur for all the love and support, I am glad that @Wangchuk66’s ordeal of being inside the jail for 170 days and my ordeal of making 2… pic.twitter.com/G62m9yE8XB
— Gitanjali J Angmo (@GitanjaliAngmo) March 15, 2026
In a deeply personal post on social media on Sunday, Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, expressed her immense relief at the conclusion of their family’s struggle. She recounted the toll of the past five months, noting that she had been making bi-weekly trips from Ladakh to Jodhpur just for a 60-minute meeting behind bars. “After a long time, had a free-flowing chat with Sonam without glancing at the scary clock every now and then,” she shared, adding that the activist is currently under medical observation for 36 hours at a hospital for a comprehensive health check-up.
Wangchuk was originally detained on September 26, 2025, following a wave of protests in Ladakh demanding statehood and constitutional protections under the Sixth Schedule. Authorities had invoked the stringent NSA after violent clashes in Leh resulted in four deaths, alleging that Wangchuk’s rhetoric had instigated the unrest. The activist, however, has consistently maintained that he was made a “scapegoat” and has reaffirmed his commitment to the Ladakh movement through “clarity, unity, and sincere dialogue” rather than agitation.
The government’s sudden move to revoke the detention comes just days before a scheduled Supreme Court hearing on a habeas corpus petition filed by Angmo challenging the legality of his incarceration. While the Centre has emphasized that the release is intended to facilitate “meaningful dialogue” with stakeholders in the Union Territory, civil society groups in Leh and Kargil have stated that their planned protests for constitutional safeguards will continue as scheduled.
