Ladakh Protests: Sonam Wangchuk Arrest and Aftermath Scope

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Manish Anand analyzes why the arrest of Sonam Wangchuk is raising questions on whether Nepal’s Gen Z protests could find echoes in Ladakh—or why India’s security ecosystem makes such a repeat unlikely.

By TRH News Desk

NEW DELHI, September 27, 2025 — Ladakh’s fragile political and ecological landscape is back in focus after the arrest of climate activist Sonam Wangchuk under the National Security Act (NSA). Following violent clashes in Ladakh, Wangchuk has been shifted to Jodhpur jail under 24/7 CCTV surveillance. His NGO’s FCRA registration had already been cancelled by the Union Home Ministry over alleged violations.

The crackdown has raised concerns about whether Ladakh’s agitation could mirror Nepal’s recent Gen Z protests that toppled the K.P. Sharma Oli-led coalition. Manish Anand, in his political analysis, argues that while the comparison is tempting, the Indian context is markedly different.

Wangchuk, globally recognized as an environmental campaigner and inspiration for the Bollywood film 3 Idiots, has long warned that Ladakh’s fragile Himalayan ecosystem is being sacrificed for industrial projects. His demand: full statehood and legislative assembly status for Ladakh to ensure local participation in development decisions.

However, experts note that Ladakh’s low population density, heavy military presence, and India’s layered intelligence apparatus make a Nepal-style “sudden collapse” unlikely. Unlike Nepal, where security agencies were caught off guard, Indian authorities actively monitor border regions in real time. Without a visible leadership face and with activists jailed, protests may lose momentum and media traction, Anand points out.

The Ladakh agitation, though rooted in genuine environmental and political concerns, faces structural barriers that make a large-scale Nepal-style youth uprising improbable in India.

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