Ladakhi innovator Wangchuk on 5-day hunger-strike

January 29, 2023 08:19

Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent engineer whose life inspired a character in Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots, has claimed that he placed under house arrest at his institute in Leh, a charge denied by the police which said he was only prevented from observing a five-day-long fast at Khardung La top.

The Ladakh-based innovator had announced a five-day long hunger strike at 18,380 feet high Khardung La from January 26 to invite attention of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre to the demands of the people of Ladakh, including extension of sixth schedule of the Constitution and environmental protection form unchecked industrial and commercial expansion.

Barring BJP, almost all major political parties, social and religious groups and student organisations have come together in both Leh and Kargil districts in support of the demands, including statehood and constitutional safeguards after the region was given a Union Territory status in August 2019 after being carved out of J&K.

"He (Wangchuk) was not given permission by the administration to hold a five-day fast at Khardung La pass as the temperatures fall below minus 40 degrees Celsius there.

"It was high risk for him and his followers to move to the place and accordingly, he was requested to observe the fast at his Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh campus," senior superintendent of police, Leh, PD Nitya said.

She said police intercepted him when he tried to move towards Khardug La pass and requested him to return but he showed resistance and was brought back under lawful action to his institute.

"He has signed a bond and police was deployed as a precautionary measure as he did not cooperate with the police," the officer said.

However, Wangchuk said "he was under house arrest, actually worse than the house arrest at the institute where he had started the five-day fast coinciding the Republic Day." -- PTI

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