Section 144 imposed in Leh ahead of Sonam Wangchuk’s 'Pashmina march', activist hits back

'Peaceful Ladakh is very confused! After 31 days of extremely peaceful prayers & fasts... Suddenly peace initiatives of the administration sounds more dangerous than anything, Wangchuk said on 'X'.

Srinagar: Amid the proposed ‘Pashmina march' by acclaimed environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk on April 7, authorities in Leh district of cold desert Ladakh region have imposed Section 144 to quell potential unrest in the region.

District Magistrate Leh, Santosh Sukhdeva, issued an order 'based on credible information from Senior Superintendent of Police, Leh, stating the importance of promptly preventing any breach of peace, disturbance to public tranquility, and threats to human life, in light of potential risks to the district's peace and safety.'

Exercising the powers vested in him under Section 144 of CrPC, 1973, he said that there shall be no procession/rally/march etc taken out by anyone without the prior approval from the District Magistrate of Leh in writing.

“No one should use vehicles mounted or other loudspeakers without prior approval from the competent authority,” the order reads. “No public gathering without the prior approval of the competent authority shall be allowed.”

The order warned that any violation shall invite punitive action under Section 188 of Indian Penal Code.

Responding to the order of imposing section 144, Wangchuk hit out at the administration.” PEACEFUL LADAKH IS VERY CONFUSED! After 31 days of extremely peaceful prayers & fasts... Suddenly peace initiatives of the administration sounds more dangerous than anything ! PEACE AT ANY COST!! (sic)?,” he wrote on X.

On March 26 Wangchuk ended his 21-day hunger strike in support of the demand for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. “The first phase of the hunger strike will be followed by a chain hunger strike by women, youths, religious leaders and elders,” he had said.

Wangchuk also stated that on April 7, he will launch a march to Changthang (in the east of Leh along the border with China) like Gandhi's Dandi March under the Civil Disobedience Movement.

The environmentalist alleges the grazing lands are being taken over by big Indian industrialists and also by the Chinese.

Changthang, located around 300 km from Leh, is situated at an average elevation of 4,700 meters. The region experiences harsh winter temperatures ranging from -6 to -35 degrees Celsius.