Sonam Wangchuk walks free from Jodhpur jail after 6 months as Centre cancels detention

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk was released from the central jail in Jodhpur on Saturday, six months after he was detained under the National Security Act. His release came after the Union government revoked his detention with immediate effect, allowing him to walk free following the completion of formal procedures at the jail.

Officials said Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, received him outside the prison after the paperwork was completed. The activist then left the premises in a private vehicle with his wife around the afternoon hours, marking the end of his detention that began in September last year.

Wangchuk, 59, had been detained under the stringent law on allegations that he incited violence during protests in Ladakh. Authorities had accused him of misleading people through references to protest movements similar to the Arab Spring during demonstrations demanding greater political rights for the region.

According to officials, the government decided to revoke the detention in order to facilitate constructive and meaningful dialogue with stakeholders on issues concerning Ladakh. The decision came shortly before the Supreme Court was scheduled to hear a habeas corpus petition filed by Angmo challenging Wangchuk’s continued detention.

Wangchuk had been taken into custody on September 26, two days after protests related to demands for statehood in Ladakh turned violent, leaving four people dead and several others injured. His release now comes months after the detention sparked debate and protests from activists who had demanded that the environmental campaigner be freed.