New Delhi, October 3 — Gitanjali J. Angmo, wife of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, filed a Habeas Corpus petition in the Supreme Court of India on October 2, seeking his immediate production in court and unconditional release from detention under the National Security Act. The petition, Diary No. 56964/2025 and represented by advocate Sarvamitam Khare, names the Union of India and the Home Department Secretary as respondents, highlighting the lack of information on Wangchuk’s health and grounds for arrest one week after his September 26 custody, according to details received by The Chenab Times.
Wangchuk, a Magsaysay Award winner known for sustainable innovations like the SECMOL campus, was detained from his Leh village following violent protests on September 24 demanding Ladakh’s statehood and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule for tribal safeguards. The non-violent protest, led by the Leh Apex Body and Kargil Democratic Alliance since 2021, recently turned violent and resulted in four civilian deaths, about 50 injuries—including 30 to police—and a curfew under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. Authorities accused him of inciting violence, leading to his NGO’s FCRA license cancellation and a mobile internet suspension in Leh, as reported by PTI.
In her X post on October 3, Angmo stated: “I have sought relief from the SUPREME COURT OF INDIA through a HABEAS CORPUS petition against @Wangchuk66’s detention. It is one week today. Still I have no information about Sonam Wangchuk’s health, the condition he is in nor the grounds of detention.” The post draw support from users emphasizing his Gandhian values and alleging political targeting.
Replies included MP Vivek Tankha (@VTankha) calling Wangchuk a “sensitive soul” epitomizing Gandhi’s values and questioning the Lt. Governor’s actions, while @legalloops noted the NSA requires grounds disclosure within five days—now expired—and termed it a potential “kidnapping.”
The NSA, a 1980 preventive law allowing up to 12 months’ detention without trial for threats to security, mandates informing detainees of grounds within five days—a requirement unmet here, strengthening the petition under Article 32 for fundamental rights enforcement. Critics, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation, condemned it as a “witch-hunt” suppressing dissent.
Angmo’s earlier October 1 letter to President Droupadi Murmu, appealing to her tribal background for empathy on Ladakh’s ecological fragility, alleged surveillance on her Himalayan Institute of Alternatives Learning and two staff detentions. She questioned: “Is it a sin to fight against reckless and unchecked development activities in an ecologically fragile area of Ladakh?” as reported by The Chenab Times earlier. No central government response is available at the time of reporting this news.
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| Full name | Tahir Rihat | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Also known as | Tahir Bilal | ||
| Date of Birth | 02 January 1999 | ||
| Occupation | Journalist; Online Editor | ||
| Employer | The Chenab Times | ||
| Base | Thathri, Doda, Jammu & Kashmir, India | ||
| Website | tahirrihat.com | ||
| Social | YouTube | ||
Tahir Rihat (also known as Tahir Bilal) is an Indian journalist and online editor at The Chenab Times. Based in Thathri, Doda, he reports on regional affairs, civic governance, and human-interest stories across Jammu and Kashmir. Rihat also maintains a personal website, tahirrihat.com, where he shares professional updates and reflections on journalism in the Chenab Valley.
