New Delhi: Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Saxena described the release of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk as a “positive step” that could help promote peace, stability and mutual trust in the region.
Welcoming the Centre’s decision, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena said that the detention of Wangchuk under the National Security Act had been revoked with immediate effect on Saturday.
The Office of the Lieutenant Governor shared a message on X stating: “Hon’ble Lt Governor, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena has welcomed the decision to revoke the detention of Shri Sonam Wangchuk and said it is a positive step by the Centre towards creating an atmosphere of peace, stability and mutual trust in Ladakh.”
The statement also added that the LG believes there should be no scope for agitation or violence in the region and that all concerns and aspirations of the people will be addressed through dialogue.
Hon’ble Lt Governor, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena has welcomed the decision to revoke the detention of Shri Sonam Wangchuk and said it was a positive step by the Centre towards fostering an environment of peace, stability and mutual trust in #Ladakh.
Shri Saxena maintained that…
— Office of the Lt. Governor, Ladakh (@lg_ladakh) March 14, 2026
Ladakh leaders react to move
Tsering Dorjay Lakrook, co-chairman of the Leh Apex Body and president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, also welcomed the government’s move. Speaking to ANI, Lakrook said the decision was encouraging news for the people of Ladakh.
“I believe this is good news for the people of Ladakh. It is also a personal victory for Sonam Wangchuk. From the beginning, we maintained that the allegations against him were completely baseless, something the government could not prove before the Supreme Court,” he said.
#WATCH | Leh, Ladakh: On the government revoking the detention of Sonam Wangchuk, Tsering Dorjay Lakrook, co-chairman of the Leh Apex Body and president of Ladakh Buddhist Association, says, “I believe this is good news for the people of Ladakh. Secondly, it also marks a personal… pic.twitter.com/cSNseruh6S
— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2026
How long was Wangchuk detained?
The 58-year-old activist had been lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail in Rajasthan for the past six months. His detention under the National Security Act followed an order issued by the District Magistrate of Leh on September 26, 2025.
Just two days after the order, violent protests broke out in the city with demonstrators demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The clashes resulted in four deaths and left more than 160 people injured.
Allegations and Supreme Court challenge
Authorities had accused Wangchuk of “instigating” the unrest that allegedly triggered the violence. His wife, Gitanjali Angmo, later moved the Supreme Court challenging the detention, after which the apex court revoked it.
In a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau, the Union Home Ministry said that the prolonged protests had disrupted normal life in the region.
Impact of protests on society
According to the ministry, “The prevailing atmosphere of bandhs and protests has been detrimental to the peace-loving character of society and has adversely affected various sections of the community, including students, job aspirants, businesses, tour operators, tourists and the overall economy.”
The statement further noted that Wangchuk had already completed half of the detention period permitted under the provisions of the National Security Act (NSA).