New Delhi:Gitanjali Angmo, wife of renowned climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, has approached the Supreme Court of India seeking his immediate release. Wangchuk has been in detention since violence in Leh, during which four civilians were killed in police firing amid protests demanding Sixth Schedule status and statehood for Ladakh.
The petition filed by Angmo argues that Wangchuk’s detention is unlawful and violative of fundamental rights. She contends that her husband, who has been globally recognized for his work on climate sustainability and education in the Himalayan region, has been “wrongly implicated” in the unrest and is being “unjustly silenced” for championing the rights of Ladakhis.
According to legal sources, the plea seeks urgent judicial intervention, asking the apex court to direct authorities to release Wangchuk and ensure that his activism in favor of environmental protection and Ladakh’s constitutional safeguards is not criminalized. “Sonam Wangchuk has always promoted peace, non-violence, and constructive dialogue. His detention is arbitrary and aimed at suppressing dissent,” the petition states.
The move by Angmo comes amid rising political and civil society pressure on the Centre following the September 24 killings. Both the Leh Apex Body and the Kargil Democratic Alliance have demanded a judicial inquiry into the deaths and refused to engage in dialogue with the government until Wangchuk and other detainees are released. [KNT]
