Around 120 individuals from Ladakh, including climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, were detained by Delhi Police at the city’s border while marching to the capital to demand Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh, police sources said.
The detained group, which included Wangchuk, was taken to Alipur and other nearby police stations. According to police, they had requested the group to return due to prohibitory orders in place, but when they refused to comply, officers detained around 120 men, including Wangchuk. The marchers had intended to spend the night at the border.
The detainees were held at Alipur Police Station and other nearby stations at the Delhi-Haryana border but are expected to be released soon. Women participating in the march were not detained, according to sources, who explained that the detentions were made in light of prohibitory orders against gatherings of five or more people in northern and central Delhi.
Wangchuk shares video before detention at Delhi border
Shortly before being detained, Wangchuk shared a video on Instagram showing the scene at the Delhi border, where their buses were stopped amid heavy police presence. Initially, Wangchuk said, they believed they were being escorted, but it soon became clear that they were going to be detained.
Wangchuk also mentioned that around 1,000 police personnel were deployed at the border, with additional forces stationed at Ladakh Bhawan in Delhi and areas where Ladakhi students reside. “It appears they don’t want this padyatra to take place,” he said.
Delhi Chalo Padyatra
The ‘Delhi Chalo Padyatra,’ organised by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), has been ongoing for four years, pushing for statehood for Ladakh, the extension of the Constitution’s Sixth Schedule, an accelerated recruitment process, the establishment of a public service commission for Ladakh, and separate Lok Sabha seats for Leh and Kargil districts.
Meanwhile, Delhi Police have banned gatherings of five or more people and protests in central and bordering areas of the city for the next six days, citing potential law and order issues related to calls for protests by several organisations. This order, issued by Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, will remain in effect until October 5.