Wangchuk repeats call for transparency and accountability
Leh activist Sonam Wangchuk on Sunday reiterated demands that the findings of the judicial inquiry into the September 24, 2025 violence in Leh be made public and that those responsible be held to account if the probe finds wrongdoing, reported The Hindu and carried by national outlets.
Wangchuk, addressing a press conference at the Press Club of India in New Delhi on September 27, posed a series of questions about the incident that left four people dead and more than 80 injured in what has been described as alleged police firing on protesters. The protesters were demanding statehood for Ladakh and inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, according to reporting.
"Almost a year later, Ladakh is still waiting for the findings. Who ordered the firing? Were all the prescribed stages of crowd control exhausted before live ammunition was used? Why were people hit in vital parts of their bodies? That is exactly why a judicial inquiry was constituted. So let the report come. Let the people know the truth,"
Wangchuk said that if the inquiry establishes wrongdoing, "whoever is responsible, however senior, must be held accountable," the reporting added. He also urged that affected families in Ladakh be compensated on the same principle as those impacted by the NEET paper leak, citing the assurance of ₹1 crore in that case.
Background: detention and later developments
According to the reports, Wangchuk was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, 2025 and arrested on September 27, 2025, days after the violence in Leh, on allegations of inciting the protests. The BJP-led Union government revoked his detention in March 2026. Wangchuk has since continued to press for resumption of talks over demands linked to Ladakh's constitutional status.
- Demand for probe publication: Wangchuk called for the judicial inquiry report into the Sep 24, 2025 incident to be released publicly.
- Questions on use of force: He asked who ordered firing, whether escalation protocols were followed and why victims were struck in vital parts.
- Compensation demand: He sought compensation for affected families on the lines of the NEET paper-leak assurance of ₹1 crore.
What this means for Leh residents
The publication of the inquiry report would clarify officially established facts about the sequence of events, the use of force and any procedural lapses by security agencies or civil authorities. If the inquiry finds wrongdoing and leads to accountability, it could shape future crowd-management practice, political dialogue on Ladakh’s demands, and claims for redress by victims' families. Conversely, continued delay in making the inquiry findings public is likely to prolong public distrust and political tension in the region.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Violence in Leh (four killed, 80+ injured) | 24 September 2025 |
| Wangchuk detained under NSA | 26 September 2025 |
| Wangchuk arrested | 27 September 2025 |
| Detention revoked by Union government | March 2026 |
| Wangchuk press conference in New Delhi | 27 September 2026 |
Reporting by The Hindu and The Wire provided the details cited above. Wangchuk’s requests — public release of the inquiry report, compensation paralleling the NEET settlement and formal accountability if the probe finds malfeasance — set clear demands that will require response from the authorities who commissioned the judicial inquiry and from security and civil administration in Ladakh.
As of the press conference, no timeline for publication of the inquiry findings had been publicly reported in the accounts cited.
