Police Probing Sonam Wangchuk's Pakistan Links; PIO Arrested

Leh: The police have now claimed that activist Sonam Wangchuk’s alleged links with a Pakistani Intelligence Operative (PIO) is being probed. According to them, a PIO linked to Wangchuk has been arrested, and an investigation is underway.

“We have arrested a PIO in the recent past who was in touch with him (Sonam Wangchuk) and reporting back across. We have a record of this. He (Wangchuk) had attended a Dawn event in Pakistan. He also visited Bangladesh. So, there is a big question mark on him…Investigation is being done. Sonam Wangchuk has had a history of instigating. He has referred to the Arab Spring, Nepal and Bangladesh. The investigation into his funding is going on for FCRA violation,” S D Singh Jamwal, DGP, Ladakh, said during a media briefing.

On Wednesday, 5,000–6,000 protesters poured into Leh’s streets and got involved in arson and stone-pelting. They damaged government buildings and set vehicles ablaze. The mob was demanding statehood for Ladakh under the Sixt Schedule of the Constitution.

Security forces responded with tear gas, baton charges, and even firing. While four people were killed, more than 70 received injuries. Seventeen CRPF personnel were also injured.

Jamwal defended Wangchuk’s arrest and said that his protest platform provided space for violence to erupt. He said investigators are probing a possible Pakistan link, pointing to Wangchuk’s prior visits across the border and alleged interactions with Islamabad-based officials.

“Planning and coordination was done beforehand,” the DGP claimed.

The DGP said that the government is already working with the Apex Body Leh (ABL) and KDA, but Wangchuk has been creating obstacles and “sabotaging” the decision-making process.

“Ever since Ladakh became a UT, there has been a political demand here for Sixth Schedule and statehood. ABL and KDA have had lengthy discussions with the government…This is an ongoing process but attempts were also being made to sabotage and vitiate this process. A so-called environmental activist and other such groups with a question mark on their credibility attempted to hijack this platform. The first name here is Sonam Wangchuk. He had said and done things earlier as well to derail this process…The hunger protest was made a platform where elements were invited to vitiate peace and law and order here…Preliminary talks were already planned on 25-26 September in Delhi,” he said.

Jamwal said that the security personnel were forced to open fire in self-defence.

“CRPF jawans were brutally beaten up. One of them is still in hospital with a serious spinal injury… Four women police personnel were in the same building when it was set on fire… firing was done in self-defence and four lives were lost.” He said, adding that 70–80 security personnel and a similar number of civilians were injured, including a girl who had to be airlifted to Delhi.

When asked about a possible intelligence failure, the DGP said: “We did have Intelligence, only then was the deployment made…Police deployment and arrangement are always intelligence-based.”