Sonam Wangchuk and 150 Ladakhis Detained Again After Release (image-X/bansalavani)

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and 150 Ladakhi protestors were again detained after being released by the Delhi Police late Tuesday night. They continued their indefinite fast under detention.

Wangchuk and other detainees were allowed to go on Tuesday night, but they remained steadfast to continue their march towards Delhi and were therefore detained again, a senior police official told PTI.

Also Read | “Your Arrogance Will Be Broken”: Rahul Gandhi on Delhi Police Detains Sonam Wangchuk, Supporters

Jigmat Paljor, Coordinator Apex Body, released a statement on Wednesday morning and called their detention, which continued for more than 24 hours, illegal.

“We, the ‘padyatris’, find ourselves in an alarming situation. We have been detained for over 24 hours. This detention is illegal, as the 24-hour period has elapsed, and we must be produced before a magistrate,” Paljor said.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to urgently heat a plea seeking Wangchuk’s immediate release. A bench comprising chief justice Manmohan and justice Tushar Rao Gedela rejected the request and set a date for October 3.

Wangchuk and hundreds of Ladakhis were marching to Delhi as part of their ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra when they were detained near the Singhu border for violating prohibitory orders when they tried to enter the national capital.

They remained in detention at the Bawana police station till the late hours of Tuesday. Some of the detainees were kept at Narela Industrial Area, Alipur, and Kanjhawala police stations.

As per the law, the police can detain a person for only 24 hours, after which they must be produced before a magistrate.

Organised by the Leh Apex Body along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, the ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra’ which began from Leh on September 1. Over the last four years, the Ladakhis have been demanding statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which would empower local populations to safeguard their land and cultural identity.

Also Read | Ahead of Assembly Polls, Maharashtra Approves 256 Acres of Salt Pan Land For Adani Group Project

Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, condemned the move and drew parallels with the farmers’ protests. “Modi ji, like with the farmers, this ‘Chakravyuh’ will be broken, and so will your arrogance. You will have to listen to Ladakh’s voice,” the Congress leader asserted.

The region became a Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which divided Jammu and Kashmir into two separate territories.