The police in Ladakh are investigating activist Sonam Wangchuk's alleged Pakistan links and foreign funding, UT police chief SD Singh Jamwal said on Saturday.
“We arrested a Pakistan PIO (intelligence operative) in the recent past who was reporting on him,” Ladakh Director General of Police (DGP) Jamwal said, speaking in Hindi, at a press conference in Leh.
The DGP further raised questions regarding Wangchuk's visit to Pakistan: “He had attended a Dawn (media house) event in Pakistan. So, there is a big question mark on him.”
DGP Jamwal said that Wangchuk had a “history of instigating”, while highlighting his mentions of the Arab Spring, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“The investigation into his funding is going on for FCRA violation,” the DGP added.
Wangchuk was detained on Friday by the Ladakh police under the National Security Act (NSA), two days after protests demanding Sixth Schedule inclusion for the union territory turned violent.
Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike, was leading a protest for full statehood of Ladakh and recognition of the UT under the Sixth Schedule. The protests for these demands turned violent on Wednesday, leading to the death of four people, while scores of others sustained injuries.
‘History of instigating,’ says Ladakh DGP on Wangchuk
The Ladakh DGP added that provocative speeches were made by “so-called environmental activists” in the lead up to the protests, ANI reported. He said that an “unfortunate incident” had taken place on September 24, which led to loss of four lives, and resulted in injuries to civilians, police officers and paramilitary officers.
“This involved some so-called environmental activists; there is a question mark on their credibility as well,” Jamwal said, while specifically mentioning Wangchuk.
“They tried to hijack the platform, and the prime name here is Sonam Wangchuk,” ANI quoted the DGP as saying, adding that the activist had earlier tried to “derail” the talks with the Centre.