Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena on Saturday welcomed the Centre’s decision to cancel the detention of activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Law.
The office of the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh said Vinay Kumar Saxena welcomed the Centre’s decision to release Wangchuk. In a post on X, LG’s office said Saxena described the cancellation of Wangchuk’s detention as a “positive step” that would help foster “an environment of peace, stability and mutual trust in Ladakh”.
Meanwhile, LG added that protests and unrest will not be tolerated in the area. He asserted that “there is no room for agitation and violence in Ladakh” and said that people’s concerns would instead be addressed “through dialogue with stakeholders, community leaders and citizens”.
“The allegations are baseless.”
Tsering Dorjay Lakrok, co-chairman of Leh Apex and president of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, also welcomed the decision and said it was a positive moment for the region.
Read also | Why the government decided to release Sonam Wangchuk and what it had previously said about him and the Ladakh agitation: Explained
“I think this is good news for the people of Ladakh. Secondly, it also represents a personal victory for Sonam Wangchuk. We have maintained from the beginning that the accusations against him are completely baseless, something the government has failed to prove in the Supreme Court,” news agency ANI quoted Lacrocq as saying.
Reacting to this development, Sajjad Kargili, leader of the Kargil Democratic Alliance, said the broader movement will continue.
“The revocation of the NSA against Sonam Wangchuk is a welcome step. However, our fight for our legitimate rights continues,” Cargili said.
He also called for the release of activists Dildan Namgyal and Sammanla Dorji, and called for all charges against those detained during the September 24 protests to be dropped “unconditionally.”
He has been detained for nearly six months
Wangchuk, 58, had been detained in Jodhpur Central Prison in Rajasthan since September 26, 2025. His arrest came after protests in Ladakh escalated into violence in Leh, the region’s main city, killing four people and wounding more than 160 others.
The authorities had previously claimed that the activist “incited” the unrest that led to violence.
The cancellation of his detention came as India’s Supreme Court was hearing a habeas corpus petition challenging his detention.
The prolonged protests have started affecting daily life and the local economy in Ladakh, the Home Ministry said in a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau.
“The prevailing atmosphere of gangs and protests has damaged the peace-loving character of the society and has adversely affected various sections of society, including students, job aspirants, businesses, tour operators, tourists and the general economy,” the ministry said.
She added that the government remains committed to building an environment of peace and trust in Ladakh so that a “constructive and meaningful dialogue” can be held with stakeholders.
The statement also noted that Wangchuk has already completed nearly half of the detention period allowed under the National Security Law, which allows detention for up to 12 months.
